In Poitiers, west-central France, a shooting on Thursday night left at least five individuals injured, triggering a gang-related brawl with several hundred participants, according to French news channel BFMTV. The incident occurred around 10:45 pm local time when occupants of a vehicle opened fire in a public square. Among the injured were a 15-year-old boy in critical condition with head wounds, as well as two other teenagers who sustained injuries to their shoulder and ankle.
Following the shooting, a confrontation erupted in the square, initially involving around 50 people, but quickly escalated. Police had to resort to using tear gas to disperse the crowd. Local prefect Jean-Marie Girier reported that while many people were present during the disturbances, not all were directly involved.
A police source indicated that the ongoing investigation suggests the violence is linked to conflicts between rival drug gangs. Poitiers Mayor Leonore Moncond’huy expressed her deep concern over the violence in a press release, labeling it “unacceptable” for both the neighborhood and the city, and emphasized the alarming youth of those involved.