Marseille Mourns Law Student Killed by Stray Bullet in Drug Violence

Soucayna, aged 24, is, again, a collateral victim of this settling of scores between drug traffickers in Marseille. The second-year law student received a stray bullet to the head while studying in her room, at the family home in Saint-Thys in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille. Forty-one days after this tragedy that shook Marseille and all of France, a white march was organized on Saturday to pay a final tribute to the young woman, but also to express outrage.

"Closing your eyes and saying nothing is condoning. Strength and courage to Soucayna’s family! A stray bullet can happen to anyone," can be read on placards. Wearing t-shirts with the slogan "Soucayna, forever in our hearts" and a photo of the young woman, the participants in this white march, white flags in hand, expressed their anger. "This is an important stage of mourning but it is also a march to alert about the violence that is falling on Marseille. Soucayna died at home, in her room! There needs to be an awareness of each one, that people rise up," explains Hassna, the victim’s aunt, at the end of the march to the Le Parisien newspaper.

And to add: "You, traffickers, you have brought your war into our homes, our neighborhoods. It was one of your bullets that killed her. We demand justice for our victims." "We are here to say stop, this degree of violence is no longer possible!" declared Karima Meziene, lawyer and spokesperson for the collective of victims’ families, whose brother was also murdered. "The reinforcements of the police and the judicial police are not enough. Today, there are murderers at large, which makes them all-powerful and increasingly violent. For families who become civil parties, very often the only result is to receive a dismissal a few months later."

So far, the investigation opened for "murder and attempted murder in an organized gang" after Soucayna’s death has still not led to any results and none of the suspects have yet been arrested. Shootouts between drug traffickers are multiplying in Marseille. In total, 92 have been recorded since the beginning of the year, causing 46 deaths and 110 injuries, including at least four collateral victims. "Too many young people are leaving, we can no longer tolerate this violence. We have to say stop... The police prefect no longer uses the term settling of scores, but murder and the prosecutor speaks of narchomicide. It’s symbolic but it’s progress," confides Atika, the president of the collective of victims’ families.