Crime
Nimes Shootings: Two Fatalities Within Three Days in a Petite French Town
An 18-year-old has been fatally shot in the southern French city of Nimes, following the recent killing of a 10-year-old boy in a gunfire incident connected to the drug trade.
Both shootings occurred in the troubled Pissevin neighborhood, where drug-related violence has escalated.
The initial victim, named Fayed, was killed on Monday night while seated in a car with his uncle.
In the latest incident, the teenage victim was ambushed just a few streets away.
Local prosecutor Cécile Gensac described the 10-year-old's death as a tragic case of being "in the wrong place at the wrong time" late on Monday night.
Fayed was shot merely 100 meters from his residence in Pissevin. His family had no affiliations with drug factions and no prior encounters with law enforcement, according to the prosecutor.
Police suspect the killers mistakenly associated the uncle's Renault Clio with another shooting. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin referred to it as a "retaliatory attack between drug traffickers."
Mayor Jean-Paul Fournier expressed sorrow and outrage over the boy's death, prompting the dispatch of an elite CRS8 police team to bolster security.
The CRS8 has also been deployed 100 kilometers south in Marseille, where ongoing drug conflicts have claimed numerous lives in recent weeks.
Yoda and DZ Mafia, two rival factions, are reportedly responsible for the majority of shootings in Marseille's northern districts, particularly in La Paternelle's high-rise area.
Smaller cities like Nîmes are increasingly being entangled in the drug war.
Despite the presence of approximately 20 elite police units, a second shooting occurred in Nîmes early Thursday morning. Authorities stated it transpired during a drug transaction, and the 18-year-old victim was known to law enforcement.
The local prosecutor indicated the presence of bullet casings at the scene, linking the murder to organized crime.
Reports suggest the teenager was carrying a satchel containing €5 and €10 notes when attacked, allegedly by assailants wielding both assault-type rifles and handguns.
Efforts to revive the victim by a young student proved futile, with the cash-filled satchel discovered beside him.
