The family of a 14-year-old student severely injured during a high school protest in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône has filed a formal legal complaint against the police officer involved, accusing him of attempted voluntary homicide and armed violence against a minor.
The complaint, announced on Saturday, October 3, by the family’s lawyer, Maître Elsa Marcel, follows an incident on Monday, September 28, during a student blockade at the Château d’Epluches high school in the Val-d’Oise department. The teenager, identified as Eden, was struck in the face by a projectile fired from a police “Cougar” grenade launcher.
Severe Injuries and Legal Action
According to statements from his lawyer, Eden sustained grievous injuries to his head. The family’s legal filing specifically cites “attempted voluntary homicide” and “voluntary violence with a weapon committed by persons holding public authority against a minor under fifteen years of age.”
The teenager’s injuries are extensive. Maître Marcel detailed that Eden suffers from a double fracture of the jaw, has had all of his upper teeth shattered, and is missing four teeth from his lower jaw.
Conflicting Accounts and Dual Investigations
The Pontoise prosecutor’s office has opened two separate investigations into the events leading up to the shooting. The first, entrusted to the IGPN (the French police oversight body), focuses on the officer’s decision to fire the grenade launcher. The second investigation examines allegations of violence committed by the student against a female police officer immediately before the shot was fired.
According to the prosecutor’s initial account, the incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. during the school blockade. The statement alleges that the teenager approached a female police unit chief and struck her, prompting her to push him away. The prosecutor claims that the minor then fell to the ground, at which point a second officer fired his “Cougar” launcher, striking the student in the face.
The family’s legal team disputes this narrative, arguing that the officer’s use of force was disproportionate and constitutes a criminal act. The case has intensified the national debate surrounding the ongoing high school protests and the tactics employed by law enforcement during such demonstrations.
