Two men were arrested in Marseille and Cavaillon this Monday, November 4 in connection with the murder of a young rugby player in front of a nightclub in Ardèche. They have been in police custody for 24 hours and could remain in custody for several more days.
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How did these two men find themselves involved in a shooting in Ardèche on Halloween night, more than 200 km from Marseille and more than two hours by car? Two individuals were arrested this Monday, November 4 in Marseille and Cavaillon, suspected of being linked to this shooting which cost the life of Nicolas and injured two people, a customer and a security guard. Collateral victims of drug trafficking, police sources assure. France 3 Provence Alpes takes stock of what we know about them.
One of the suspects is believed to be the shooter, the other the driver
The first arrest took place in Marseille in the northern districts this Monday around 6 p.m., on a point of deal, according to police sources, assures AFP. The 19-year-old young man could be of Italian nationality. According to a source close to the case, the man arrested in Cavaillon is suspected of being the Saint-Péray shooter, and the one arrested in Marseille the driver, says Agence France Presse.
A 19-year-old young man was arrested in Marseille between 6 and 7 p.m. and at the same time, a twenty-three-year-old man was arrested at his home in Cavaillon.
Bruno Bartocetti, union SGP Police-FO UnitFrance 3 Rhône-Alpes
The man arrested in Marseille would be unknown to the police, the other not.
Bruno Bartocetti, SGP Police-FO police union of the southern Mediterranean zone
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© France Télévisions
A probable intimidation operation in front of the nightclub
For Bruno Bartocetti, representative of the police union SGP Police-Fo, the victims were there in the wrong place, at the wrong time. “Unfortunately, we are dealing with innocent people who were affected. The investigation will determine the motivations of the killer and above all who ordered this act. The nightclub denies any link with drug trafficking. The investigation will tell.“
“The intimidation among hitmen is that for them, life doesn't matter. We can kill to intimidate any person, unfortunately, we have already seen it. But why did they go on this expedition there? [en Ardèche, à Saint-Perray , NDLR]. There will be an answer to this question, because it is not by chance that we appear in front of a discotheque and shoot into the crowd, to kill, to injure, to intimidate“, continues the police officer.
Work carried out jointly between Vaucluse, Marseille and Ardèche
The two suspects were arrested a few minutes apart in a very tight time and for the first arrest on a deal point in the sensitive district of Bricarde, “it's difficult to arrest in a sensitive place where you can be shot, we know that we are dealing with murderers and above all, we are in an environment where attackers can arrive from all sides. So everything was done very cleanly and very professionally. We must underline the good collaboration of all services. The events took place in Saint-Péray in Ardèche, followed by the Privas public prosecutor's office. And the arrests took place in Marseille and near Avignon. This is why we are always asking for more resources to work efficiently.”
Other arrests planned in a cascade
Since Monday evening, the two men have been questioned and taken into police custody? How long will it last? Bruno Bartocetti explains: “If we manage to determine very quickly that we are involved in drug trafficking, police custody can last 96 hours, otherwise it is 48. But what will be important in this police custody is to know “There are accomplices, how they were recruited, by whom they were recruited and in terms of drugs this will perhaps open the doors to other arrests.”
In a very short time, we were able to arrest the perpetrators. It will certainly take a little longer to appeal to the sponsors.
Bruno Bartocetti, Syndicat de police SGP Police-FOFrance 3 Rhône-Alpes
Drug trafficking is a threat”growing and extremely serious“and requires a”very firm response from the State“, declared this Tuesday the Minister of Justice Didier Migaud, who must announce Friday in Marseille with Bruno Retailleau measures against this “scourge“.
Article written with Ozlem Unal, journalist at France 3 Rhône-Alpes
