France: Shooting leads to mass gang brawl in Poitiers

A shootout between rival drug gangs left five teens injured with gunshot wounds and sparked a violent melee involving hundreds of participants late Thursday in the western French city of Poitiers.

French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau told broadcaster BFM TV on Friday that drug-violence in France had reached a "tipping point."

Retailleau cited police reports that between 400 and 600 people carrying "all manner of weapons" had been involved in the fight.

"It started off with a shooting at a restaurant. It ended up with a clash between rival gangs that involved several hundred people," he said.

Police used teargas, reinforcements deployed

When police arrived at the scene on Thursday they deployed teargas and still needed nearly an hour to restore order. 

First responders reportedly found a 15-year-old with a serious gunshot injury to the head, and two teens — 15 and 16 — who also sustained serious gunshot wounds. All three were hospitalized.

Two other individuals, both 16, went to the hospital emergency room on their own for treatment of minor injuries.

Police reported having found at least ten .22 caliber bullet casings at the scene and announced that state police would be deployed to Poitiers' Couronneries neighborhood where "tensions between different groups" were simmering.  

Interior minister says choice is between 'full mobilization,' or 'Mexicanization' 

Retailleau presented a stark choice for France moving forward — "full mobilization," or "Mexicanization." 

He is expected to announce new anti-trafficking measures next week in Marseille, where he will appear with Justice Minister Didier Migaud. 

Retailleau has advocated a "nationwide effort" akin to the fight against terrorism in tackling drug crime since taking up his position in the new compromise government led by Prime Minister Michel Barnier— chosen after snap elections contentiously called by President Emmanuel Macron immediately after a drubbing in the European Parliament elections.

Gang-related drug violence has become a serious problem in France with numerous cities experiencing deadly conflict first hand.

A French Senate investigative committee report recently estimated annual drug trafficking revenues in France at €3-6 billion ($3.3-6.6 billion).

"The 'narco thugs' have no limits any more... These shootouts aren't happening in South America, they're happening in Rennes, in Poitiers... we're at a tipping point," Retailleau said Friday.

He was referring to a five-year-old boy being struck in the head by two bullets on October 27, caught in the crossfire of a highway car chase and shootout in northwestern Rennes. He said an "investigation is moving forward" in the case, adding that the boy's life was still in danger.

Concern over the problem is thought to have led many voters in France to back the far-right, anti-immigrant National Rally party of Marine Le Pen — which has long highlighted the issue — in both EU and French elections.

 js/msh (AFP, dpa, Reuters)