A young man who was with Nael Al-Marzouki in the car at the time of his shooting by the French police posted a video clip on social media platforms, in which he talks about the details of the incident with the aim of “establishing the truth because there are many lies circulating,” as he put it.
According to the British “Sky News” network, the young man said he wanted to tell the story “from A to Z”.
He added that he, Nael, and a third friend borrowed a Mercedes and decided to go for a ride around Nanterre in Paris, and “we were not under the influence of any alcohol or drugs.”
He added that the three noticed police motorcycles following them to stop the car, then one of the officers approached the window and asked Nael to turn off the car, threatening to shoot him.
The young man added, “The officer hit Nael with the butt of his gun, then the second officer arrived, threatening: Don’t move, or I will shoot you in your head.”
He continued that the first officer hit Nael again with the gun, so his foot was released from the brake, which led to the movement of the car, so the second officer fired bullets.
The young man described Nael’s condition after the shooting, as “he was in pain and trembling,” adding: “I was afraid. I got out of the car and ran away. I thought they might shoot me.”
Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Brach said officers tried to stop the young man because he looked too young and was driving a Mercedes with Polish license plates in a bus lane.
He added that his initial investigation led him to conclude that the officer’s use of his weapon was not legally justified.
The officer underwent a formal murder investigation and is being held in prison under preventive detention.
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, sparked a wave of anger across France, as demonstrations and riots erupted in a number of cities.
And the French police arrested more than 1,300 people during the fourth night of the riots, while the family and friends of the young man, Nael, gathered, on Saturday, for his funeral in a suburb of Paris, where he died.
His death, caught on camera, reignited long-standing complaints from low-income, mixed-race and urban communities that police violence and racism were widespread.
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2023-07-01 13:17:05
