Viry-Châtillon, France – In a tragic incident, a 15-year-old student succumbed to injuries sustained in a violent assault outside his school. This marks the second brutal attack on a pupil within a week, raising concerns about the safety of schools in the area. President Emmanuel Macron has issued a stern warning about the need to protect educational institutions from the escalating “uninhibited violence” among some youths.
The teenager, identified as Shamseddine, was viciously beaten near his school in Viry-Châtillon, located about 20km south of Paris. Following a cardiac arrest, he was rushed to the hospital but tragically passed away from his wounds on Friday afternoon, as confirmed by the public prosecutor’s office. An investigation into murder and gang assault has been initiated in response to this appalling crime.
Authorities apprehended five individuals linked to the attack, including three 17-year-olds, a 15-year-old, and a 20-year-old. The mayor of Viry-Châtillon, Jean-Marie Vilain, described the attackers as “the worst kind of thugs” who ambushed the young boy as he was walking home from a music class. Vilain expressed grave concern over the increasing prevalence of extreme violence in the community.
This incident comes on the heels of another disturbing attack where a 14-year-old girl was left in a coma after being assaulted outside her school in Montpellier. Three suspects have been charged with attempted murder in connection to that case. These violent events have sparked heightened tensions surrounding French schools, compounded by recent threats sent to numerous educational institutions via an internal messaging system.
President Macron, during a visit to a primary school in Paris, emphasized the urgent need to shield schools from such rampant violence. He underscored the importance of schools serving as sanctuaries for children, families, and educators, vowing to take a firm stance against all forms of aggression. In response to these troubling incidents, France’s education minister announced the rollout of a national “mobile force” to provide additional security to schools encountering safety challenges.