A 15-year-old boy was brutally murdered in Marseille this week, reportedly stabbed 50 times before being set on fire. Prosecutors believe the incident is linked to drug-related violence, though the exact motive remains unclear. Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone described the crime as one of “unprecedented savagery.”
The southern French city, notorious for its high crime rate and drug trafficking issues, has seen several violent incidents in recent months. Just last week, two people were killed and four others injured in a shooting within a housing project. Local reports indicate that assailants fired shots with a Kalashnikov-type assault rifle, claiming the lives of two men on the scene.
This is not an isolated case. On July 10, a young man was shot dead in the same housing project in what officials labeled a probable “narco-homicide.”
In 2023, drug-related violence in Marseille led to a record 49 deaths. While 2024 has seen a reduction, there have already been 13 gang-related killings, with nine confirmed as narco-homicides. Authorities continue to grapple with escalating violence tied to drug trafficking and gang rivalries.
Key Points:
- A 15-year-old boy was stabbed 50 times and burned alive in Marseille, suspected to be linked to drug-related violence.
- Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone called the murder an act of “unprecedented savagery.”
- The city is known for high crime rates and drug trafficking, with a recent history of violent incidents.
- On September 29, a shooting in a housing project left two dead and four injured, with a Kalashnikov-type rifle used in the attack.
- A similar incident occurred on July 10, resulting in the death of a young man in a suspected narco-homicide.
- In 2023, drug-related violence caused 49 deaths in Marseille; in 2024, at least 13 gang-related killings have occurred so far, nine confirmed as narco-homicides.
