Struck with a knife, a 17-year-old boy died of his injuries on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, in a city in the northern districts of Marseille plagued by drug trafficking, AFP learned.
Himself known for drug trafficking, he showed traces of stab wounds to the hands and thighs as well as an open wound to the head.
The victim also bore the marks of numerous blows from a blunt object such as an iron bar, relief workers told AFP.
The police were called to the scene around 1:40 a.m. by a minor claiming to be pursued by about fifteen people and to have lost his friend in his flight, within the city of La Paternelle, in the popular and disadvantaged neighborhoods north of Marseille.
It was this friend, who finally died of his injuries around 3:30 a.m., who was found on the spot by the investigators.
The judicial police have taken over the case.
Third victim of the year
The Cité de la Paternelle is a hotspot for drug trafficking in Marseille and is regularly the subject of settling of accounts against the background of drug trafficking.
On February 10, a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured by bullets during the night.
Twenty assault rifle casings were found on the spot.
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It was also in this city of La Paternelle that the first shooting of the year took place in Marseille, against a backdrop of drug trafficking again, on January 1 around 1:30 a.m., near the Vieux Moulin deal point. , subject of a turf war between rival gangs.
According to an AFP count, this 17-year-old minor is the third victim of the year who died in Marseille on the background of drug trafficking.
The year 2022 had been particularly deadly in the second city of France, with 32 victims of homicides in an organized gang according to figures from the prosecution.
The Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters had recorded 31 deaths "by bullets linked to narcotics".
This traffic exploits more and more minors, originating from Marseilles or coming from elsewhere, used for the monitoring of the points of sale, even for the sale.
