Three French police officers have been arrested over the death of a 27-year-old man in the southern city of Marseille in early July during nationwide rioting, prosecutors said.
Five police officers from the elite Raid unit were taken into custody on Tuesday for questioning in the probe over the death of Mohamed Bendriss. Two of the five were released later, the public prosecutors office announced, according to (France 24).
"The other three police officers remain in custody," confirmed Marseille public prosecutor Dominique Laurens.
Several civilians and police are also giving evidence as witnesses, the prosecutors added.
The incident took place during the night of July 1-2 during violent protests in the center of Marseille sparked by the death of Nahel M., 17, who was shot dead by a policeman on June 27 during a traffic check.
Bendriss lost his life after feeling unwell while riding a scooter. His autopsy showed traces on his chest of what could be the impact of a shot from a blast ball and commonly used by the countrys police.
The prosecutors office has said it considers it "probable" that the mans death was "caused by a violent impact to the thorax caused by the firing of a projectile of the blast ball type." (QNA)
Source: Qatar News Agency