Orleans: 16-year-old boy shot dead after car thefts, what we know

In a suburb of Orléans, a 16-year-old boy died after being shot in the chest. A suspect is in custody.

The altercation took place in Fleury-les-Aubrais , in the suburbs of Orléans (Loiret), around 2 a.m., on the night of Friday to Saturday, August 16. A group of five youths were allegedly committing car thefts from vehicles parked in a residential area. This type of theft is committed on property inside cars. According to the initial elements of the investigation, "a local resident came out and threatened them with a handgun. Several shots were heard and one of the youths was fatally injured," Olivier Delorme, deputy prosecutor of the Republic of Orléans, told Le Parisien .

The victim is a 16-year-old minor. He was shot in the chest. The police were called around 2:25 a.m., the newspaper reports, and despite their intervention, he succumbed to his injuries. Several bullet casings were found at the scene. The four other members of the group managed to escape. They are "very traumatized," explains the deputy prosecutor.

The shooter is believed to be a 19-year-old man. He was arrested during the night, and six cases of ammunition were found outside his home, the newspaper reported. He was taken into custody for murder and attempted murder, as well as for possession of a category B weapon. While in custody, the suspect reportedly admitted to being the perpetrator, Le Figaro reported.

An investigation is underway. It could lead to the opening of a criminal investigation. An autopsy of the victim will also be performed.