Nanterre incident : Policeman apologises for shooting teen, triggers protests

The officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, expressed remorse while in custody, says his lawyer.

The incident, which occurred following the teenager’s failure to comply with a traffic check, has sparked widespread protests across France. According to the officer’s lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, the remorseful officer stated that he did not aim to take a life that day.

A video circulating on social media displays the harrowing event as two officers stand beside the teen’s Mercedes AMG, with one officer firing as the teen attempts to drive away. Lienard commented that the officer is deeply disturbed by the violent content of the video. The officer has since been charged with voluntary homicide and is being held in custody.

Meanwhile, the deceased teenager’s mother publicly questioned whether her son’s death was racially motivated. She expressed her grief over the incident, attributing blame to the individual officer rather than the police force as a whole. With friends in the police service who are supportive of her, she believes her son’s death could have been avoided.

Criticism has arisen regarding the officer’s decision to use deadly force against the unlicensed teen. The mother, employed in the medical sector, emotionally queried whether the close-range shooting was necessary. She suggested that the officer made a racially prejudiced decision upon seeing her son’s Arab features.

Nationwide protests continue to surge in response to the tragic incident. Confrontations between protestors and law enforcement have intensified, with videos demonstrating the use of tear gas and rubber bullets by the police. With the Interior Minister reporting at least 150 arrests and damage to public buildings, tensions remain high. Social media continues to fuel the fire, featuring footage of protestors setting cars alight and looting stores.