Évreux: A 14-Year-Old Boy Killed in a Stabbing, a 16-Year-Old Suspect in Custody

On Friday, January 10, a tragic altercation between two teenagers in the La Madeleine neighborhood of Évreux (Eure) resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy. According to the prosecutor, the dispute, which occurred between 8 PM and 9 PM, escalated when a 16-year-old suspect stabbed the victim in the chest with a knife, reportedly an Opinel. The victim was rushed to Pasteur Hospital by a relative but succumbed to his injuries shortly after.

The suspect turned himself in to the police after seeking refuge at a neighbor’s house. He claimed he had been attacked by a group of about ten people armed with shards of glass who assaulted him. In what he described as an act of self-defense, he admitted to striking one of his attackers, the 14-year-old victim. The 16-year-old is now in police custody on charges of “murder of a minor under 15” and is being questioned by investigators.

Évreux’s mayor, Guy Lefrand, suggested that the altercation might have stemmed from a romantic dispute, though this hypothesis has not yet been confirmed by the prosecutor’s office. According to Lefrand, the suspect and the victim belonged to the same group and community. The ongoing investigation aims to clarify the circumstances of this tragedy. Police are currently interviewing witnesses, analyzing surveillance footage, and reviewing the criminal records of those involved. So far, neither the suspect nor the victim had any prior convictions.

Local authorities described the neighborhood as usually calm. An official judicial inquiry is expected to be launched soon to further investigate the case.