French authorities are urging calm after a night of intense protests shook several suburbs of Paris in response to the death of a 17-year-old boy allegedly shot dead by the police during a routine traffic stop. The incident occurred in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, at approximately 8:18 a.m. local time on Tuesday.
The victim, identified as Nahel, was inside a Mercedes AMG with two others when the fatal shooting took place. Following the incident, one officer has been detained on suspicion of "culpable homicide." Emergency medics worked to save the teenager's life, but he succumbed to his injuries at 9:15 a.m. local time, according to the Nanterre prosecutor's office.
The shooting has reignited longstanding grievances against the French police, and the protests quickly turned violent. Demonstrators set cars ablaze and clashed with law enforcement officers throughout the Paris region overnight. Social media footage surfaced showing an officer pointing a gun at the young driver before a gunshot rang out, causing the car to come to a stop. Despite prompt medical assistance, Nahel tragically died from bullet wounds to the chest.
In response to the incident, approximately 350 police and paramilitary officers were deployed, mainly in Nanterre, to quell the ongoing clashes that persisted into the early hours of Wednesday. President Emmanuel Macron described the fatal shooting as "unforgivable," emphasizing that "nothing justifies" the loss of a young life. The victim's family has filed a complaint against the police.
As tensions remain high, France braces itself for potential further unrest. The police officer involved in the shooting has been preliminarily charged with voluntary homicide, as an initial examination of the available video evidence appeared to contradict the officer's claims of acting in self-defense.
Editor: Ms.Fahima Afrin
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