Violent night in Nantes for the confused death of a young man during a police check – 04/07/2018

Nantes experienced several hours of unrest in three neighborhoods of this western city of France Tuesday night after the confused death of a young man at a police checkpoint.

Several cars and a shopping center in the town of Breil were burned during the riots which also spread to the districts of Malakoff and Dervallières, explained the director of public security, Jean-Christophe Bertrand, in statements published by the station France Info

The events were triggered by the death of a young man, aged 22, at a police check . According to Bertrand, "the driver, who seemed to want to leave his vehicle, hit a police officer" who was slightly injured in the knees. "One of his colleagues opened fire and hit the young man who unfortunately died."

There was a rapid conflict between forces of order and youth groups who threw Molotov badtails, mounted several barricades, as well as cars and shops on fire.

The Mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rollande, gave a message of calm and stressed that his first memory was for the young dead, for his family, the inhabitants of Breil and the other neighborhoods, but also for the firemen and for "men and women who are to ensure our safety."

"Naturally, justice, independently, must establish quickly and transparently what happened tonight," Rollande added.

In the same vein, prosecutor Pierre Sennès stated that was opened for investigation to determine why the police used his firearm.

The investigators were trying to determine if the victim was a criminal who had a warrant for arrest.

the French newspaper Le Parisien, the young man who died was allegedly recognized by the police for robbery and drug trafficking.

More than 200 police officers were mobilized during the night while the situation returned to calm. There were no arrests.

Source: EFE