Toulouse: Two young women targeted by shooter during birthday celebration
Two 22-year-old friends narrowly escaped death in the night of 7 to 8 July 2026 in Toulouse. While driving a vehicle in the Mirail neighbourhood to obtain nitrous oxide, an individual opened fire on their car.
Toulouse: Two young women targeted by shooter during birthday celebration
In the night of Tuesday 7 to Wednesday 8 July 2026, two 22-year-old friends came close to death in the Mirail neighbourhood in Toulouse. While driving a car to obtain nitrous oxide, a stranger fired at them. The investigation, entrusted to the DCOS, targets an attempted homicide, according to La Dépêche du Midi.
One of the two young women was celebrating her birthday. To mark the occasion, the pair had travelled to this district of the city in order to buy cylinders of this party gas, also called "laughing gas". This product, which is not classified as a narcotic, is inhaled by many young people using balloons.
Around 3.30 in the morning, the two friends were driving in the Louis-Pergaud area, in the Bellefontaine neighbourhood, windows down and music at full volume. According to the investigation details, they had both consumed nitrous oxide. In a state of euphoria, they were probably singing loudly in the deserted streets.
The situation then escalated. An insult, according to the victims' account, preceded two shots very closely. One of the projectiles lodged in the passenger door. By chance, the young woman sitting in that seat was only very slightly struck on the thigh.
Police arrived on the scene quickly. The vehicle was towed to the police station and the two young women were questioned by investigators. At the scene, two 9 mm calibre cartridge cases were found, confirming the victims' version of events.
To date, the author of the gunshots has not yet been identified. Police are questioning a possible confusion: could the victims' white Golf have been mistaken for another vehicle? The hypothesis of a displaced target — a rival or a competitor — is also being considered. For the two friends, this birthday night could have ended far more tragically.
Source: La Dépêche du Midi
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)