Alsace: an octogenarian killed, his grandson arrested and soon to be charged

The suspect is "a very withdrawn young adult. He didn't have many friends anymore, he was often hidden in his room to play games. He wasn't very sociable, he hardly ever went out," according to the elected official. According to Hoerth, the young man was neither employed nor in training. "But I can't explain the trigger," he added. He was "quite close to his grandfather; they lived two houses apart. They saw each other regularly."

It was after lunch at his grandparents' house, according to the newspaper "L'Alsace" , that the young man announced that he wanted to shoot cans in the garden, an activity he sometimes practiced. He went to get a small caliber rifle, stored in a cupboard. And as he passed his grandfather on the stairs of the house, he shot him. The octogenarian, hit by a bullet in the heart, died on the spot.

Small caliber rifle

The young man was taken into custody Monday afternoon. He initially claimed the shooting was accidental, before admitting he deliberately shot his grandfather, "for fear that the latter would kill him," without specifying what made him think this.