A man was fatally stabbed in the Bras-Fusil district of Saint-Benoît, Réunion, on Tuesday afternoon, sparking unrest and a police response involving tear gas. The victim, known locally as “12Pac,” succumbed to a neck wound sustained near a pharmacy around 12:55 p.m.
The stabbing has intensified concerns about recurring violence in the neighborhood and prompted a heightened security presence. Residents described a frantic scene,attempting to administer first aid before emergency services arrived. “I saw him, he was dizzy and his hand on his neck. I saw a lot of blood, I took sheets to press the wound. I called the firefighters and the police,” one resident recounted. The incident underscores ongoing challenges with public safety in the area and has led to clashes between law enforcement and local youth.
according to witnesses, the man collapsed in front of a building after being attacked. Residents rushed to his aid,one attempting to stem the bleeding from his neck. “I saw her climb, there was blood everywhere. I grabbed her neck to prevent the blood from running,” a witness stated. He was evacuated by the Samu helicopter but did not survive.
A suspect was arrested later Tuesday afternoon. However, the arrest was followed by confrontations between approximately fifty gendarmes dispatched to the scene and groups of young people who threw projectiles. The unrest resulted in one gendarme being injured and damage to four vehicles.
Prefect Patrice Latron strongly condemned the violence directed at law enforcement, stating, “Condemns with the greatest firmness these acts which hinder the action of the police and endanger the security of all and recalls that the role of the gendarmes is to guarantee public tranquility, and that no violence against them is tolerated.” He assured residents that measures are being taken to secure the district, with gendarmes remaining mobilized overnight. The victim, who lived on avenue Jean Monnet, is known to locals, and the murder has left the community feeling vulnerable. “It’s always a shock, we tell ourselves that it can happen to us too. We are in a branch we are used to,” a resident said.
