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An image of the police check that led to the death of 17-year-old Nael, in Nanterre, west of Paris, on June 27, 2023. © @Ohana_Fgn, Twitter
Violent protests shook western Paris suburbs overnight Wednesday after police shot dead a teenager during a traffic stop and then appeared to have lied about the circumstances of the killing. An officer has been detained and is under investigation for voluntary manslaughter.
The 17-year-old driver, identified only as Nael M., was pulled over by two policemen on Tuesday for breaking traffic rules, prosecutors said.
Police initially reported that one officer shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him, but this version of events was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP.
The footage shows the two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying: “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”
The police officer appears to fire at the driver at point-blank range as the car abruptly drives off, advancing a few dozen metres before crashing.
The driver died shortly thereafter.
The 38-year-old policeman seen firing the lethal shot was taken into custody and is now under investigation for voluntary manslaughter.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday the shooting was “inexplicable” and “unforgivable”.
“Nothing can justify the death of a young person,” said Macron on the third day of a visit to Marseille.
Macron said the incident had “moved the entire nation”.
Nael M.'s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said he would file a legal complaint against the policeman for voluntary manslaughter and against his colleague for complicity in the shooting.
Bouzrou also said he would file a complaint against the policemen for giving false testimony for claiming that Nael M. had tried to run them over.
There were two passengers in the car at the time of the shooting. One ran off and the other, also a teenager, was briefly detained.
News of the incident sparked protests in Nanterre, a western Paris suburb. Bins were set alight and a fire broke out at a music school while police tried to disperse the protesters with teargas. Protests then spread to neighbouring suburbs.
BREAKING: Riots in Nanterre, France, after 17 year old was killed by police.pic.twitter.com/0Z44WnKCzQ
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) June 27, 2023
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Wednesday that 31 people had been arrested overnight, 24 police were slightly injured and around 40 cars torched.
Celebrities and politicians voiced concern and outrage at the shooting.
"I am hurting for my France," tweeted Kylian Mbappé, captain of the French men's national football team and star player at Paris Saint-Germain.
"An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the friends and family of Nael, that little angel who left us far too soon," Mbappé said.
J’ai mal à ma France. 💙🤍💔💔💔
Une situation inacceptable.
Tout mes pensées vont pour la famille et les proches de Naël, ce petit ange parti beaucoup trop tôt.— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 28, 2023
Far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon called for "a complete redesign of the police force" and admonished police actions by saying that France "no longer has the death penalty".
Darmanin – who has previously backed the police in similar situations – called the video footage "extremely shocking" in parliament.
He said Wednesday that the officer would be suspended "if the charges against him are upheld".
He also announced that 2,000 police would be deployed to deal with any further violence later in the day.
