11-year-old British girl shot dead in family's garden in western France
An 11-year-old British girl has been shot dead while playing in the family's garden in western France, following a reported dispute with a neighour.
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The family was in the garden of their home in the village of Saint-Herbot near Quimper in Brittany on Saturday night when their Dutch neighbour appeared with a firearm, according to the initial investigation.
At around 10:00 pm, law enforcement officials intervened "following gunfire", Quimper public prosecutor Carine Halley said in a statement on Sunday.
The 11-year-old was found dead at the scene.
Her father was also shot and has sustained life-threatening injuries, according to the magistrate.
The mother's life was not deemed to be in danger and a second child was unharmed but "in a state of shock", prosecutor Halley said.
The suspect was identified as a 71-year-old Dutch pensioner.
Property dispute
Police are trying to determine the motive for the shooting. Halley said: "It would appear that there had been a dispute between the two neighbours for several years over a plot of land adjoining the two properties."
A police source told AFP news agency that the neighbour had fired his rifle through a hedge before retreating to his home with his wife.
Both the neighbour and his wife have handed themselves over to the authorities and been arrested.
The public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation on charges of voluntary manslaughter of a minor and attempted voluntary manslaughter.
(with AFP)
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