A Dutch man has been accused of a horrifying act in the French region of Brittany, reportedly shooting and killing an 11-year-old girl next door. The French Prosecutor’s Office suggests this shocking event could be the climax of an ongoing neighbourhood dispute between the Dutch retiree and the neighbouring family, allegedly centred around a land dispute.
The family was spending time in their garden in the quiet village of Saint-Herbot when, without clear provocation, their neighbour reportedly opened fire through a hedge. The specific trigger of this horrific act remains unclear.
Upon arrival at the scene, responding officers discovered the body of the young girl and her severely injured father. French media outlets report that the family is British. The girl’s mother also sustained injuries during the incident. Their eight-year-old daughter was unharmed physically but is in shock, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
The alleged shooter and his wife were apprehended an hour after the incident. They had retreated to their house but eventually surrendered following the intervention of a police negotiator.
