Reconstruction Challenges Police Account in Fatal Shooting of French Teen

All the protagonists (two police officers, passengers of Nahel’s vehicle and witnesses to the scene) were gathered in Nanterre on Sunday for the reconstruction of the tragedy. "The reconstruction was based on the videos, what we see on the videos is that the police officer was not in danger. Consequently, the use of his weapon was not necessary," cuts short on RTL Nabil Boudi, the lawyer of the mother of the 17-year-old teenager, the day after the reconstruction of the facts. He will add on BFMTV: "Our position from the beginning in the case is now reinforced by reality".

The video posted on social media after Nahel’s death contradicted the police version, which said the young man had rammed the motorcycle. This video shows the two police officers on the side of the vehicle, aiming their weapons at the driver. One of them shoots him while the vehicle is starting up again. The car then crashes into a concrete block, a few dozen meters further on.

The brigadier Florian M. who pointed his weapon at Nahel just before opening fire, on June 27, 2023, is indicted for voluntary homicide. His release under judicial supervision in November after five months in detention had provoked the anger of the teenager’s mother. "How can my son’s life be worth so little?" questioned Mounia, who had called for a rally to protest what she describes as a "real injustice" which thousands of people attended.

The death of young Nahel had triggered a week of riots all over France, notably in Lyon, Marseille and in the Paris suburbs. About a hundred town halls had been damaged. The damage will cost the insurers 650 million euros, their federation had estimated on July 11.