Murder of Nicolas in front of a nightclub: two suspects arrested, a region in shock
A tragedy occurred on Friday night in Saint-Péray, near Valence, where Nicolas, a 22-year-old rugby player, lost his life in a shooting in front of the Le Seven nightclub. Two individuals suspected of being involved in this tragedy were arrested on Monday, November 4, according to police sources.
The first suspect, aged 20 and of Italian nationality, was arrested by the Anti-Crime Brigade in the Bricarde district of Marseille, an area known for drug trafficking. The second suspect, of French nationality and originally from Tunis, was apprehended in Cavaillon, in Vaucluse. According to the authorities, one of the men is believed to be the shooter, while the second is believed to have acted as a driver to facilitate their escape.
The incident took place around 2:55 a.m. while nearly 800 people, many dressed in black for Halloween, were waiting outside the nightclub. A hooded man dressed in black calmly approached the crowd, his hands in his pockets, before pulling out a gun and shooting several times at the customers. Nicolas, shot in the head, was taken to hospital in an emergency condition, but succumbed to his injuries the next day. Two other people, a customer and a security guard, were slightly injured in the legs.
Witnesses present reported that the shooter had used a small-caliber weapon. A 9 mm projectile was found in a car parked in the parking lot, after having gone through a window.
In tribute to Nicolas, a silent march is being organized on Wednesday in Romans-sur-Isère by the Rugby Club Romans-Péage (RCRP), a club to which Thomas also belonged, another young player tragically killed during a dance in Crépol in November 2023. The club expressed its sorrow on social networks, saying it was "devastated" by this new tragedy. Marie-Hélène Thoraval, mayor of Romans-sur-Isère, also expressed her indignation on X (formerly Twitter), deploring "a barbaric, gratuitous and senseless act."
This tragedy has stirred deep emotion in the region, as the community continues to mourn the loss of its young victims in violent and unexplained circumstances.
