A man in his 50s has been hospitalised after a shooting in Rennes, France.
The man’s life “remains in danger” at Rennes University Hospital, according to the office of the mayor of Rennes, Nathalie Appéré.
Local media initially reported that the man was from Ireland, and while the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the case and stood ready to provide assistance, The Irish Times now understands the injured man is not Irish.
The man shot several times, including in the chest, shortly after 7.30pm on Saturday in the Villejean area of Rennes, according to local reports.
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“For nearly three weeks, the Villejean neighbourhood has been facing a turf war between drug traffickers. The violence has escalated in recent days,” Ms Appéré’s office said in a statement on Sunday.
The man was transferred to hospital after being hit by stray bullets, according to local news site Ouest France, which described him as a “collateral victim”.
Those living in the area told Ouest-France the man was in “the wrong place at the wrong time”.
The man is believed to be living in the area.
A second man aged in his 40s was also shot. His injury was confined to his leg.
Ms Appéré, who visited the scene of the shooting on Sunday, said “significant” police reinforcements have been deployed in the area.
She said the “top priority” is to strengthen the presence of the internal security forces on the ground “to stop the actions of these criminals” and to protect the public.
“The explosion of drug trafficking and the violence it generates are a major threat to our country, to our security, to our cohesion, to our institutions,” she said.
This story was updated on January 16th to reflect new information.
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