Two adolescents who were reportedly subjected to a terrifying ordeal where they were forced at gunpoint to dig their own graves have been discharged from the hospital, it has been revealed.
The two young boys, aged 14 and 16, were allegedly kidnapped and held captive for several hours in a secluded area near Nantes, France, in an incident believed to be linked to ongoing disputes between rival drug factions as per authorities.
Reportedly, the victims were forcefully taken in a vehicle to a forest, where they were stripped, physically assaulted, threatened, and coerced to dig their own graves under duress before managing to flee and seek assistance at a nearby residence.
Law enforcement has initiated an inquiry into “violence and kidnapping with a weapon” following the occurrence on January 2.
The frightening situation, commencing around 1 am with the abduction and transportation to the scene, concluded approximately two hours later when the teenagers sought help from a resident in La Chapelle-sur-Erdre.
The homeowner alerted the police upon observing the boys’ injuries, including cuts to their fingers and faces.
One of the teens had sustained a stab wound in the thigh, confirmed Antoine Leroy from the Nantes prosecutor’s office, mentioning that the duo has been discharged from the hospital. He stated, “These incidents are connected to illicit drug activities and turf conflicts,” to the French press agency.
No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, underscoring a broader trend of escalating violence involving young individuals amid drug-related clashes in France, with reports highlighting criminal groups targeting even younger adolescents for drug trafficking purposes.
In a separate incident last month, eight individuals were apprehended on suspicion of homicide after a teenager was live-streamed being killed and his body set on fire.
The charred remains of the 19-year-old man were discovered by passersby in a remote village near Nîmes in southern France, with investigators noting clear signs of a deliberate and methodical execution.
The victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head, and his body appeared to have been intentionally burned.
Further investigations revealed that the man’s death was broadcast live on social media, indicative of an escalating gang rivalry in Nîmes.
A surge in violent crimes in the region has been attributed to the influx of gangs from Marseille, prompting the implementation of a city-wide curfew for individuals under 16 years old last summer.