Frenchman Dies After Being Struck with a Pétanque Ball During Argument 😱

A 68-year-old man has died in the coastal town of Mimizan in southwestern France after being hit in the face with a metal pétanque ball during a heated argument. The alleged assailant is an 81-year-old man who was taken into custody and later released under judicial supervision, with the condition that he does not leave the country.

The argument reportedly broke out over territory. A group of boules players who normally play on the beach wanted to move to a shaded court in the village to escape the heat, which escalated into a violent confrontation. Witnesses described a long-standing rivalry between the beach players and the local town players. According to a witness speaking to AFP: "There is an enormous rivalry between the beach players and the town players, but I never thought it would come to this."

The suspect admitted to striking the victim one or more times with the pétanque ball but claims he acted in self-defense, saying he was responding to blows from the other man. The victim collapsed shortly after being hit and is believed to have died from cardiac arrest. Results of the autopsy, expected early next week, will determine whether the blow directly caused the death. Prosecutors have yet to decide on formal charges.