A police officer who killed a teenager in France asked his family for forgiveness, his lawyer says

Nahel, 17, was shot in the chest during an approach; The death sparked nationwide protests

Bertrand Guay/AFP
A participant holds a banner reading ‘Justice for Nahel’ as cars burn in the street at the end of a march to honor a shot dead teenage driver

The cop who shot 17yearold Nahel FranceDefense attorney LaurentFranck Liénard, who apologized to the teenager’s family during his detention last Tuesday, told French broadcaster BFMTV this Thursday, April 29. ‘The first words he said were asking for an apology to the family of the victim,” he said. At a march in the city of Nanterre, Nahel’s mother said she had no grudges against the police. “I have nothing against the police. I have something against a person who killed my son. He didn’t have to kill my son,” Mounia told France 5 TV. On Tuesday morning, Nahel drove past a police line in his car and was chased by the police, who shot him dead shortly afterwards. The driver was rescued and died an hour later. Images of the crackdown circulated on social media, sparking an uproar that sparked protests in several cities. More than 40,000 police officers were on duty on Thursday. So far 181 people have been arrested.