Who was Nahel M., whose shooting by police sparked massive riots in France?

The killing of 17-year-old Nahel on June 27 caused mass upset in France, leading to rioting and over 1000 arrests, but who was Nahel?

Nahel had been killed by police after driving into a bus line and refusing to stop for police, according to Reuters. While trying to escape the police, an officer shot at close range through Nahel’s window, where the bullet entered through his arm into his chest, killing him.

Nahel had been searched in five different police checks since 2021, many of which he refused to comply with.

The officer that murdered Nahel claimed that he tried to shoot him in the leg, to stop a possible police chase or injury to the public, but said a bump caused the angle of the gun to be raised.

Who was Nahel? 

Nahel was an only child, raised by a single mother without ever knowing his father, according to the BBC. Nahel had no criminal record.

Nahel’s Grandmother described him as a “kind, good boy.”

Despite his young age preventing him from having a license, he worked as a takeaway delivery driver. He enjoyed playing Rugby during his respite from work and training to be an electrician at a college in Suresnes, of which the BBC claimed he had poor attendance at.

Nahel played rugby for the Pirates of Nanterre rugby club, under a program by Ovale Citoyen for students struggling in school.

"He was someone who had the will to fit in socially and professionally, not some kid who dealt in drugs or got fun out of juvenile crime," Jeff Puech, Ovale Citoyen president told Le Parisien.

Nahel was of Algerian descent, which many protestors felt was the police’ true reasoning in taking the deadly action that they elected to take. 

A mother and country in mourning 

His mother, Mounia, mourned the loss of her son alongside many French protesters who saw Nahel’s death as a signifier of a system issue. Nahel’s mother said that she believed that the officer “saw an Arab face, a little kid, and wanted to take his life," she said on France 5 TV. 

"What am I going to do now?" asked his mother. "I devoted everything to him," she said. "I've only got one, I haven't got 10 [children]. He was my life, my best friend."

When the ambulance arrived to treat the teenager, one paramedic expressed that he knew Nahel personally. The paramedic allegedly began a tirade against the officer responsible for Nahel’s death, asserting that Nahel ever raised a hand to anyone and he was never violent.” 

"It's different when it happens in your town," said 19-year-old Charine Ahmed, a peer of Nahel’s, told NPR. "He was a super happy boy, someone who was always smiling. I never caught him in a bad mood."