France has mobilized over 2,000 riot officers in the nation's capital and its surrounding suburbs as the government desperately attempts to maintain law and order and head off further unrest due to the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M. on June 27.
On the morning of the shooting, Nahel was stopped by police while in a car in Nanterre, a suburb to the west of Paris' city center. Footage of the incident taken by a witness circulated on social media, showing two officers standing next to a stopped car and one pointing his firearm into the driver's side window. The car then starts to pull away and the officer with the gun shoots at the driver.
Emergency services are immediately summoned, but the teenager ended up dying on the spot of bullet wounds to the chest.
The police claimed Nahel was driving without a license and when they attempted to stop the teenager for traffic violations, he kept driving. In France, people 18 years old and above are the only ones allowed to get driver's licenses. The initial police report included that an officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him. Still, this version of events was contradicted by the video that showed them by the side of the stationary vehicle.
A voice is heard saying: "You are going to get a bullet in the head." The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off. (Related: "He started stabbing the little ones" – Syrian migrant stabs 7 very young children in French park, at least 2 in critical condition.)
Police officer already detained, investigations ongoing
The 38-year-old policeman who fired the fatal shot has been detained and French prosecutors have opened two investigations into the killing, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
"We have all seen these extremely shocking images," he added. "In addition to judicial sanctions, there could be administrative sanctions if it is decided, as the images clearly show, that these acts don't conform with procedures and the law of the Republic."
Other senior French government officials, including President Emmanuel Macron, have already condemned the killing.
"Nothing justifies the death of a youth," said Macron, who claimed that the killing was inexcusable and that "the whole nation" mourns for Nahel.
Macron went on to call for "calm for justice to be done," adding: "Justice was immediately seized" as the offending police officer was already detained.
"Our police and gendarmes are committed to protecting us and serving the Republic. I thank them every day for that. They do so within an ethical framework that must be respected," Macron added in his statement. "It is up to justice to establish the truth and assign responsibility. I hope that this work can be completed quickly. As such, what Nanterre and the nation need is respect and calm."
Government sources note that the riots that popped up after the video of Nahel's shooting went viral have already left dozens of vehicles in Paris burned and dozens more rioters detained. At least one government building was set on fire and completely destroyed.
This is the second fatal shooting by a French police officer during a traffic stop this year.
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Watch the aftermath of the riots in Paris that make the city's streets look like roads in war-torn Ukraine.
This video is from Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.
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