French police investigated following death of 29-year-old man

The French General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) has opened an investigation into the death of a 29-year-old man named Yusuf, who died in Carcassonne on July 4, 2026. The incident occurred on June 21 following a music festival, when a police officer allegedly pushed the victim, causing him to fall and sustain severe head injuries. The man remained hospitalized in critical condition for 13 days before passing away.

Initially, the Carcassonne prosecutor's office stated that an autopsy performed on July 9 ruled out third-party interference and suggested toxic causes, claiming no causal link between the encounter and the death. However, after a video surfaced showing an officer grabbing and throwing the victim to the ground, the case was referred to the Marseille branch of the IGPN. Authorities are now conducting a judicial investigation into the intentional use of violence by a person in public authority.

The victim's family, represented by his brother Hamza, disputes the initial findings. The investigation is ongoing as authorities re-examine the circumstances of the encounter in light of the newly surfaced video evidence.