Paris Erupts In Violence After Police Shoot 17-year-old Driver

The French capital saw yet more violent protests last night as an angry mob took to the streets following the killing of a teenage driver by police.

Late on Tuesday, June 27, riots ensued on the streets of Paris after a 17-year-old French-Algerian driver, identified as Naël M, was shot and killed after he failed to stop for police in the Nanterre area of Paris, according to Le Parisien.

Police Kill Driver In Paris

The initial incident took place on Tuesday, June 27 at 8:15 am in Nanterre, Paris. Motorcycle police officers from the Public Order and Traffic Department (DOPC) ordered the driver of a yellow Mercedes to stop for a check after noting several traffic violations.

A widely circulated video appears to show an officer pointing his gun at the driver. When the vehicle restarted the officer fired at point-blank range. The car lurched forward before coming to a halt after it hit a post. The victim died shortly afterwards from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Riots In Paris Suburb

News of the incident spread quickly via social media which led to a night of violence. Rioting mobs set off fireworks and set fire to cars, bus shelters and rubbish bins from Tuesday into Wednesday in Nanterre and other areas including Clichy-sous-Bois, Asnières, Colombes and Roubaix.

In response, the Paris police sent up to 2000 police officers and soldiers of the gendarmerie to deal with the outbreak of unrest. Police spokesperson Laurent Nuñez commented: ‘These measures will continue as long as necessary but I want to call for calm, we must stay reasonable.’ He went on to reiterate that the officer responsible for the shooting will be investigated.

The mayor of Nanterre, Patrick Jarry said: Nanterre lived through one of the most terrible days in its history. In a press release he denounced the violence last night. Several buildings, including schools, have ‘suffered significant and unacceptable damage, with some deemed beyond repair.

The Nanterre town hall bore the brunt of the mob’s anger during the incident. The Mayor of Nanterre, Raphael Cognet, posted a message on Twitter: ‘Our town hall burned down. Last night, following the appalling drama of Nanterre, unprecedented violence. . . The district town hall was completely destroyed by fire.’ It was reported that a total of 31 people were arrested and 24 police officers were injured.

The events of last night are the latest in a worrying trend for French Police. In 2022 a record 13 people lost their lives to police shootings during traffic stops.