the trail of privileged professional revenge, the suspect’s custody extended

Forty-eight hours after the quintuple murder that occurred on Saturday, December 14 in the vicinity of Dunkirk, the trail of professional revenge is emerging, the alleged shooter having worked for his first victim as well as within the company where the two worked. following.

The 22-year-old suspect, who went to the gendarmerie in Ghyvelde (North), a small town on the Belgian border, on Saturday, had resentment towards his first victim, Paul Dekeister, who was his former employer, reported l The suspect’s lawyer, Véronique Planckeel.

This 29-year-old man, who managed a road transport company, was killed around 3:15 p.m. on Saturday in Wormhout in front of his home by several gunshots. “We do not know how the employment contract was terminated”declared to Agence France-Presse (AFP) the lawyer, for whom “many gray areas remain” on the mobile. According to a source close to the matter, revenge after a professional dispute is one of the preferred avenues.

The suspect “admitted” the facts

M^e Planckeel emphasizes that his client, in police custody since Saturday, “spontaneously recognized the facts and is very composed, very calm”. However, she is not “not sure if this boy really understands the consequences of his actions” nor that he “knows what to answer himself” to investigators. Custody “of the accused has been extended” Monday evening, announced the Dunkirk prosecutor, Charlotte Huet, in a press release. This police custody will be lifted on Tuesday, “with a view to presenting it to an investigating judge”she added, specifying that a press conference will be organized Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

The investigation was opened for “murders preceded, accompanied or followed by another crime” and “acquisition, possession, carrying and transport of category A and B weapons”, acts punishable by life imprisonment.

The alleged killer was also an employee of the company Eamus Cork Security (ECS) for which his next two victims, two security agents, worked, said Patrick Guerbette, founder of ECS, during a press briefing.

He carried out “a period of training and professionalization contract (…) over a year and a half ago » during which he was not the target of“no complaints”added Mr. Guerbette. According to him, he had not then ” no way “ been in contact with the two targeted agents.

These two fathers in their thirties, Marc and Aurélien, were killed in the port area of ​​Loon-Plage, on the outskirts of Dunkirk. They were on a surveillance mission aboard a company vehicle, added Bruno Willems, CEO of ECS, during the press briefing.

“Fear, stress and insecurity to the maximum”

For Patrick Guerbette, “anyone who was there, at that moment, on the road, could have been a victim”. According to the suspect’s lawyer, on the two security agents, “he knew one by sight, it seems, that’s all”. Finally, she added, there is currently no “no explanation” to the murder a few minutes later and five kilometers away of two migrants near a camp. These “could be of Iranian nationality (…), aged 19 and 30”said Sunday M^me Did, by a communiqué.

“Many people” on the camp “asked us for protection, accommodation”said Célestin Pichaud, coordinator of the Utopia 56 association. “Fear, stress and insecurity are at their maximum”he warned. The suspect “is unknown to the police and the judicial authorities” et “several firearms were found in his car”specified Charlotte Huet on Sunday.

Prize pools were launched for the families of the two security agents. Monday evening in Dunkirk, more than 200 members of the Ultras Dunkerquois gathered to pay tribute to Aurélien, who ensured security at the football stadium, noted an AFP correspondent. A procession set off into the city around 7:30 p.m., holding his portrait and lighting smoke bombs up to the entrance to the stadium. A citizen’s tribute to the two dead migrants, as well as the three other victims, also took place at 6:30 p.m. in Dunkirk.