A French police officer is being investigated for homicide over the fatal shooting a 17-year-old boy in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after he failed to comply with an order to stop his car, the local prosecutor’s office said.
The officer fired at the boy, who subsequently died from his wounds, the Nanterre prosecutor’s office said on Tuesday. A video shared on social media shows two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, one of whom shoots as the driver pulls away.
Sporadic clashes broke out between youths and police on Tuesday evening as anger over the death of the teenager grew in the local community. Some groups set alight barricades and garbage bins, smashed up a bus stop and threw firecrackers toward police, who responded with tear gas and dispersion grenades. Nine people were arrested.
After a record 13 deaths from police shootings in France during traffic stops last year, this was the second fatal incident in such circumstances in 2023.
Three people were killed by police gunfire after refusing to comply with a traffic stop in 2021 and two in 2020. A Reuters tally of fatal shootings in 2021 and 2022 shows the majority of victims were black or Arabic origin.
“As a mother from Nanterre, I have a feeling of insecurity for our children,” said Mornia Labssi, a local resident and anti-racism campaigner, who said she had spoken to the victim’s family, which she said was of Algerian origin.
One passenger was taken into police custody but later released. Police were unable to contact another passenger, the prospector’s office said. The driver was “known to the judicial services for having refused to comply with a traffic stop” on a previous occasion, it said.
The Paris police chief, Laurent Nunez, told BFM TV that “this act raises questions for me” and that the justice system would decide whether or not it was appropriate.
The French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, tweeted that the General Inspectorate of the National Police was investigating “to shed light on the circumstances of this drama”.
Slavshit
Sandshit
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
As a French, all I can say is that we don't fear the police. We fear this type of guy that got killed.
Obviously his "community" is going to go crazy, but in my opinion, that police officer did his job.
That stupid guy parents didn't do their. Main issue is the education, and this country is becoming a shitshow because of these people.
“As a mother from Nanterre, I have a feeling of insecurity for our children” this is so false, that bullshit community that doesn't want to educate their kid is the insecurity french people are fearing ! Your kid Mornia Labssi and the lack of education because you're just a lazy and stupid community is the main issue, not the police doing well their job !
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
I agree, he could have just obey but he must have had some crooked shit going on
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Liberté, égalité, fraternité
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
Fuck you. Racist cunt. I hope your legs melt like cheese next time you walk out of your house. Motherfucking racist. You "fear this type of guy" fucking coward. This type of guy is gonna take over Europe. I know my comment is low class as hell I DO NOT CARE. YOU ARE INSENSITIVE AS HELL. DIE OF CENTRAL AFRICAN AIDS.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
as a fellow French citizen, you are fucking stupid.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
I dont know the exact reasons for their behaviour but ive been living nearish for a couple of years and im constantly trying to find ways to not generalise and hate these people. I wish this would happen to all of those asshole teens
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context