Montpellier, France, Dec 27 (AFP/APP): France has charged a suspect in the hit-and-run death of a teenage boy during celebrations of France’s win over Morocco in the World Cup semi-finals, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
The 14-year-old boy, Aymen, was killed on December 15 in the Paillade district of the southern city of Montpellier.
A 20-year-old man was detained earlier on Tuesday near the southern city of Perpignan over the death, prosecutors said.
He has now been charged with causing unintended death, the Montpellier prosecutor, Fabrice Belargent, said in a statement later on Tuesday. He was also remanded in custody, he added.
Video on social media showed a white hatchback surrounded by fans which speeds away when someone tears down a flag hanging out of its rear window.
The prosecutor’s office said the driver “violently” broke away from a line of vehicles after a flag was removed from the window of the car before hitting the teenager.
The car was later found abandoned nearby.
The boy died of his injuries in hospital.
The tragedy marred France’s victory over Morocco to reach the championship’s finals, with most celebrations across the country good-natured though with scattered incidents of unrest.
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