French driver shooting: Violent protests erupted in Nanterre, a suburban area of Paris, after a 17-year-old delivery driver was allegedly shot dead by a police officer on Tuesday. The shooting had taken place during a traffic check and the victim had succumbed to a gunshot wound at the scene.
The police officer has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter, said the prosecutor's office in Nanterre, AP reported. Following the tragic shooting, a passenger in the car was arrested for a short time and later released, while search is on for a second passenger who fled the scene.
The deceased driver was identified as the 17-year-old Nael M. His death sparked outrage in the streets of Nanterre, with residents setting fire on barricades, demolishing a bus stop and hurling firecrackers at the police. The police resorted to firing tear gas and dispersion grenades to pacify the situation.
The police have heightened security presence in the area after the violent protests, with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin saying that at least 31 people were arrested, 25 police officers injured and 40 cars burned in overnight unrest.
A team of three lawyers rejected a statement by the police which stated that the driver had put the lives of the officers at risk by threatening to run them over.
