Protests and unrest broke out in the Paris region following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old by police. The incident occurred when the teenager failed to stop as ordered by traffic police. Video footage circulating on social media shows a police officer pointing a gun at the driver of a car, followed by a gunshot and the car crashing to a stop.
The teenager, identified as Naël M, succumbed to bullet wounds in the chest despite assistance from emergency services. The officer responsible for the shooting has been detained and is facing homicide charges.
The shooting sparked a series of protests in Nanterre, the area west of Paris where the incident took place. The demonstrations turned violent, resulting in the arrest of 24 individuals. This incident marks the second police shooting during a traffic stop resulting in death in France this year, with a record 13 such deaths occurring last year.
Initial police accounts suggested that the teenager had driven his car towards the officers with the intention of causing harm. However, verified footage posted online tells a different story. It shows two officers at the vehicle, with one pointing his weapon at the driver through the window and appearing to fire at point-blank range as the driver attempts to drive away. The video also captures a person saying, “you’re going to be shot in the head,” though the identity of the speaker remains unclear.
Two other individuals were in the car during the shooting. One fled the scene, while another, also a minor, was arrested by the police. The incident sparked anger and disorder, leading to the burning of cars and rubbish bins, destruction of bus shelters, and the setting off of fireworks near the police station. Riot police used tear gas to disperse the protesters, some of whom erected barricades throughout the night.
Two separate investigations have been initiated in response to the teenager’s death. One focuses on a potential killing by a public official, while the other investigates the driver’s failure to stop the vehicle and the alleged attempted murder of a police officer.
Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez acknowledged that the officer’s actions raise questions, although he suggested that the officer may have felt threatened. The family’s lawyer emphasized that the video clearly shows a police officer killing the young man in cold blood and filed a complaint against the police for initially misrepresenting the incident.
France’s Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin expressed his shock at the video shared on social media and called for respecting the family’s grief and the presumption of innocence of the police officers involved.
The incident has fueled calls for police accountability, with left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon offering condolences to the teen’s family and emphasizing that no officer has the right to kill unless in self-defense. Public outrage demands a comprehensive overhaul of police practices to restore the authority of the state and address concerns regarding uncontrolled police force.
