A Premeditated Ambush
A 15-year-old girl was the victim of a brutal, premeditated assault in Saint-Étienne on Monday. According to judicial sources, the teenager was lured to a meeting point near the city’s Design District. Upon arrival, she was ambushed by six other minors—three boys aged 15 to 17 and three girls aged 13 to 14.
Violence Captured and Circulated
The attack was characterized by extreme violence. The victim was punched in the face, dragged on the ground, and robbed of her personal belongings. While five of the assailants carried out the beating, a sixth filmed the entire 45-second assault. The video was subsequently shared on the social media platform Snapchat, where its circulation alerted authorities.
Found in a state of shock by police, the victim was hospitalized. The Saint-Étienne prosecutor’s office confirmed she received five days of total incapacity to work (ITT) due to multiple bruises, swelling, and wounds.
Swift Arrests and Judicial Measures
Police quickly seized the video and arrested all six implicated minors the same evening. The prosecutor’s office stated that all have admitted to participating in the ambush. Only one of them was previously known to the justice system.
The minors have been summoned to appear before a children’s court on April 8. They face charges including:
- Intentional violence in a group and with premeditation
- Opportunistic theft of the victim’s belongings
- Complicity in violence and dissemination of the attack video (for the individual who filmed it)
Five have been placed under judicial supervision with strict conditions, including a curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM, a ban on contact with each other and the victim, and an obligation to work or pursue training. Four have been ordered to undergo counseling, and three must comply with the terms of a placement order.
A Disturbing Pattern
This case highlights the disturbing trend of violent assaults being orchestrated and recorded for social media dissemination. The judicial proceedings for the six minors are now set to begin in April as the community grapples with the severity of the crime.
