France: Shooting of Habib Muhammed
01 January 1999
Rioting erupted in Toulouse following the shooting by police of Habib Muhammed at 3.30am on December 13. The 17-year old student was unarmed when police opened fire on him as he and an accomplice were attempting to steal a car. Two policeman have been arrested and a senior officer suspended pending the outcome of an inquiry opened on the day after the incident by state prosecutor, Michel Breard.
The police version of events was that two bullets were fired "by accident" and that Muhammed's accomplice managed to drive the car away. The officers decided not to pursue the vehicle, even though they were aware that they had hit Muhammed. The teenager was found two and a half hours later by a passer-by, bleeding to death under a car about 100 metres from where he had been shot.
Muhammed's family and friends strongly contest the police account. Their version is based on the account of the other youth involved, who has gone into hiding. According to his testimony, he was in the car and managed to escape by knocking one of the officers with the car door and driving off. Muhammed, meanwhile was outside the car. The police fired, mortally wounding him, but did not intervene to try and stop him bleeding and save his life. His family do not believe that he was hit by accident. The police had their target well in sight, they say.
Riots broke out on the night of the 13th. Around 200 people were involved and six police and one journalist were seriously injured. Using reconstructions, the General National Police Inspectorate (IGPN) are investigating why the police officers did not pursue the escaping car and whether it is possible that they were not aware of having hit Mohammed. The events took place less than a month after the shooting of 20-year old Belaid Mellaz by a pharmacist, Marc Kiffer, whose premises Mellaz had broken into. Mellaz was killed, yet Kiffer was released from custody after only three weeks prompting protests.
Le Monde 15.12.98, Guardian 15.12.98, Liberation 21.12.98.