A 20-year-old French soldier died after being shot in the head when a loaded handgun was discharged during a gathering at the Percy Military Teaching Hospital in Clamart, west of Paris.
The deceased, Brigadier Alexandre Lanckbeen, was critically injured last Saturday while attending a party involving alcohol. French prosecutors said the incident occurred during what was described as a “game” between soldiers.
Weapon discharged during disarming game
According to investigators, four soldiers housed at the hospital had begun playing a game reportedly known within some military circles that involves attempting to disarm a colleague and disable their weapon.
While the weapon is typically unloaded during such activity, prosecutors stated that in this case the handgun contained live ammunition. A shot was fired, striking Lanckbeen in the head. He succumbed to his injuries on Friday.
Lanckbeen served with the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment based in Tarbes and had been deployed as part of Operation Sentinelle, a long-running domestic security mission.
Soldiers charged, inquiry underway
Loïc Mizon, Military Governor of Paris, expressed “deep sadness” over the soldier’s death and extended condolences to his family.
Three soldiers appeared before a Paris court in connection with the shooting. One was charged with violence involving a weapon and breaching orders related to alcohol consumption. Two others face charges including involuntary bodily harm and alleged attempts to alter the scene.
Following Lanckbeen’s death, prosecutors are expected to reclassify the charges. The investigation has been assigned to the criminal investigation service in Hauts-de-Seine.