It would be an accident.
A septuagenarian, licensed sports shooter, was indicted for manslaughter on Thursday in Charente-Maritime after killing his wife with an assault rifle shot, according to the prosecution.
The 76-year-old man was placed under judicial supervision by the investigating judge.
“The investigations at this stage allow us to consider that the origin of the shooting was accidental.
Furthermore, the weapon used was declared,” said the public prosecutor in La Rochelle, Arnaud Laraize.
The victim, aged 59, was shot in the head on Tuesday at the couple's home in Surgères.
According to the regional press, the husband, placed in police custody, declared that he was handling the weapon, an MP15 assault rifle type, when the shot went off.
France 3 Nouvelle Aquitaine specifies that the individual declared that he was cleaning it when the tragedy occurred.
“No marital conflict has emerged for the moment”
“No marital conflict has emerged from the investigation so far.
The autopsy revealed no traces of physical violence (other than the head shot),” the prosecutor previously indicated.
The investigation was entrusted to the Rochefort research brigade and the Surgères community of brigades.
According to Sud-Ouest, the custody of the septuagenarian was extended this Wednesday.