A tragic incident unfolded in a Paris suburb on Tuesday (June 27), where a 17-year-old delivery driver was shot and killed by a police officer, as stated by the victim’s family lawyers. The shocking incident triggered a wave of anger among local residents, leading to clashes with the police, barricades set ablaze, and the deployment of tear gas.
According to the prosecutor’s office in Nanterre, the police officer involved in the shooting has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter. The incident transpired during a routine traffic check, with devastating consequences, as reported by the Associated Press.
The victim sustained a gunshot wound and tragically succumbed to his injuries at the scene, as confirmed by the prosecutor’s office. While a passenger in the car was briefly apprehended and subsequently released, the police are actively searching for another passenger who fled the scene.
BREAKING:
The riots which started in Nanterre after the police shot a 17-year-old to death in the city today have now spread to several other French cities.
Fireworks and rocks are the main weapons used by the rioters against the police.pic.twitter.com/Hp5ExSGC5y
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 27, 2023
In France, incidents involving the deadly use of firearms are relatively less common compared to the United States.
However, this incident has captured national attention, fuelling public discourse and scrutiny. Representing the driver, a team of three lawyers identified him as 17-year-old Nael M.
Lawyers dispute police account
The lawyers vehemently contested the police’s reported statement, which claimed that the officers’ lives were at risk due to the driver’s alleged threat to run them over.
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To support their case, the lawyers cited a circulating online video that purportedly captured the incident. The footage shows two police officers leaning into the driver-side window of a yellow car before the vehicle accelerates away, prompting one officer to fire towards the driver.
The video later reveals the crashed car near a nearby post.
The tragic death sent shockwaves through the streets of Nanterre, igniting widespread unrest. Local residents expressed their anger by staging a protest outside the police headquarters, demanding justice and accountability.
During the protests, some groups resorted to extreme measures, setting barricades and garbage bins ablaze, vandalising a bus stop, and hurling firecrackers at the police.
In response, the police employed tear gas and dispersion grenades, as documented in videos circulated by local media.
Recent years have seen several instances of fatalities and injuries at the hands of French police, intensifying calls for enhanced accountability within law enforcement.
Furthermore, France has witnessed widespread protests against racial profiling and other injustices in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing by the police in Minnesota, further amplifying concerns over police conduct.
(With inputs from agencies)
