Man Found Shot Dead in Van Carrying Migrants in France
A British tradesman's van discovered with ten illegal migrants also contained the body of a man with a gunshot wound.
A man was discovered shot dead in a British tradesman's van carrying ten illegal migrants at a French motorway rest stop, authorities reported on Friday. The vehicle was found approximately 20 miles north of Troyes, a city located southeast of Paris.
The rest stop is situated about 200 miles from the Channel crossing.
The body of the 47-year-old man was found around 5 a.m. local time with a gunshot wound to the head. The van displayed UK license plates, but the driver's nationality remained unknown, according to Troyes prosecutor Isabelle Verissimo.
Authorities arrested a suspect early Friday who was believed to have been present at the crime scene. Approximately ten illegal migrants were found in the rear of the van, though their nationalities were not confirmed.
Initial investigations suggest that shots were fired at the Champ l'Epée rest stop shortly after the British van parked there. Several individuals reportedly fled the scene following the incident, the prosecutor's statement indicated.
The Troyes prosecutor's office announced that a criminal case would be opened, encompassing charges of murder, attempted murder, unauthorized weapon possession, aiding irregular entry, movement, and residence of foreigners in France as part of an organized group, and human trafficking within an organized group.