PARIS: A car in the southern French city of Montpellier “violently hit” and killed a boy as crowds celebrated France's victory in the World Cup semi-final, according to local regional authorities.
The driver fled the scene, but the vehicle was found nearby and police were investigating what might have caused the vehicle to strike the child, Herault authorities said.
Video emerged on Twitter showing a car being driven dangerously near crowds in the street following the French national team's Wednesday night win over Morocco.
The boy, whose name was not made public, was rushed to a hospital and died of his injuries. French media said he was 14 years old.
French lawmaker Nathalie Oziol expressed her “immense sadness (that a) sporting event ends in absolute tragedy.”
Elsewhere in France, crowds in Paris and other cities erupted in shouts of joy as France advanced to the World Cup final. The displays were relatively restrained. Disappointed Morocco fans mingled with the exuberant supporters of the winning team, paying tribute to the African country’s unprecedented achievement.
In the capital of Belgium. about 100 people were detained late Wednesday after soccer fans shot fireworks at police and damaged cars in the centre of Brussels, police spokesperson Ilse Van de Keere said.