Video Reveals Police Shot Marseille Man During Riots, Sparking Investigation

As the investigation into the death of Mohamed Bendriss continues, Libération and Mediapart have revealed exclusive images of the altercation between the young father and the Raid police officers, who were deployed to contain the riots related to Nahel’s death, which occurred a few days earlier. This 26-second video filmed by a witness shows that the 27-year-old man "was targeted without obvious reason by the law enforcement while he was riding a scooter in the streets of Marseille," reports Huffington Post. These images, as well as the city’s surveillance footage and the footage from the armored vehicle of the police officers, show what happened on the night of July 1 to 2.

That night, as Mohammed, riding a scooter, chases a man who has just stolen some shoes, he crosses the Raid unit. The alleged thief eventually drops his loot. Subsequently, the Raid, unaware of what had just happened, fires five times in the direction of Mohammed, despite the cries of several witnesses who assured the law enforcement that "he did nothing." Hit in the chest, Mohammed had a seizure, then collapsed in front of his mother’s home. Admitted to the hospital, he was declared dead at 2:05 am. The autopsy reveals that the 27-year-old man was fatally injured in the chest and right thigh by these LBD and beanbag shots. A beanbag round was also found "in the front headlight" of the victim’s scooter.

At the end of July, three Raid police officers were indicted for voluntary violence resulting in death without intent. While two of them admitted to having fired at the scooter, the third denies having used his weapon. Investigators are currently trying to establish which policeman fired at what time.