An 11-year-old British girl, whose parents are from Oldham, was “not the target” of a fatal gunshot which killed her outside her home in France, officials have said.
Solaine Thornton and her sister Celeste, eight, were playing on garden swings during a barbecue in Saint-Herbot, near Quimper, Brittany, when a 71-year-old Dutch neighbour opened fire at them, according to the BBC.
The man had been in a “conflict” with the family over a plot of land beside their properties for “several years”, state prosecutor Carine Halley said.
She added Solaine’s father Adrian was badly hurt when police arrived, while the younger girl was “safe and sound but in a state of shock”.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, public prosecutor Camille Miansoni said it did not appear that the Dutch neighbour had been aiming at the girl when he fired the shot.
He said: “It would seem that he was not aiming at the little girl.”
The victim and her parents, Adrian and Rachel Thornton, who were both born in Oldham, were named by mayor of Plonevez-du-Faou, Marguerite Bleuzen.
Solaine’s grandfather, Irvin Thornton, reportedly told the Sun newspaper “she didn’t stand a chance” and added his son is in a coma.
Mrs Thornton was also hurt, but her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
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Ms Halley said after the shooting, the Dutchman retreated to his house where he barricaded himself in with his wife.
A negotiator eventually persuaded the couple to give themselves up and they were arrested.
According to the Evening Standard, an investigating source said test results showed he was under the influence of drugs at the time, while Mr Miansoni said "there is no evidence to suggest that he is unhinged psychologically".
A police spokeswoman said they were aware of a conciliation process between the families that began in 2019.
Translated by the BBC, she said: “It is true that we were warned in 2019 of the conciliation process with regard to the dispute between these two neighbours – but subsequently we haven’t had any kind of follow-up, and neither has there been any kind of criminal offence committed since.”
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