Rabat – A young driver killed a member of the Royal Gendarmerie on the afternoon of Friday, September 4 in the coastal town of Harhoura, about fifteen kilometers south of Rabat.
The gendarme had gestured to the driver of a white Mercedes Benz to pull over after committing a traffic offense, and stepped out into the street to block the car’s path.
The driver, who had been speeding, attempted to flee the gendarme and hit him with the vehicle while doing so.
Emergency services quickly transported the officer to the Rabat Military Hospital but he tragically succumbed to his injuries.
The suspect is a 29-year-old man with dual nationality, according to French-language news outlet le360. He was born in Amsterdam to a Dutch mother and Moroccan father. He lived in the Netherlands before settling permanently in Morocco.
The suspect’s fiancée was also in the vehicle during the accident, according to the same source.
The gendarme, 35, hailed from the city of Khenifra in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco. He was married and had one child.
The officer’s funeral took place in his hometown on Saturday. French-language news outlet Le Site Info reported that he was buried in the presence of his relatives and several senior officers of the Royal Gendarmerie.
