A shooting in Poitiers, France that killed one person and left four injured has been linked to local drug trafficking. A suspect is now in custody as the investigation continues.
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A suspect connected to a shooting in Poitiers, France last Thursday that killed one person and injured four others has turned himself into police in Paris, according to the Poitiers prosecutor’s office.
During a Halloween event organised by an association that attracted many young people, shots were fired in front of a kebab restaurant. The dead and injuried victims were all minors.
According to BFMTV, prosecutor Cyril Lacombe has stated that “checks are underway to confirm his identity and to verify whether he is indeed the person who was the subject of a search warrant issued by the Poitiers prosecutor’s office”.
The investigation, which is pursuing charges of attempted homicide, has linked the shooting to drug trafficking in the local area.
During a press briefing on Friday, Poitiers Prosecutor Cyril Lacombe stated that early findings suggest the shooter may have been involved in drug deals in the days leading up to the incident.
A search on Friday morning “led to the discovery of seven rounds of ammunition” and “partial components of a dismantled weapon", he said.
According to Le Parisien, the suspect was already under judicial supervision for a weapons possessions case being handled in Marseille.
France's minister of interior, Bruno Retailleau, initially stated on BFMTV on Friday morning that a “clash between rival gangs” had involved “several hundred people” and that “the narco-thugs have no limits”.
Retailleau has clarified the dead adolescent had “absolutely nothing to do with drug trafficking”.
However, the police and prosecutor clarified that only a few dozen people were involved in the incident, which was quickly contained by law enforcement.