Marseille, France— Two men were killed Thursday in a drive-by shooting outside a restaurant in Marseille, in the latest outbreak of gang violence in the southern city.
The shooting happened at 1:50 p.m. on Avenue de la Rose in the 13th arrondissement. The two victims, aged 28 and 32, were sitting on the terrace of a kebab restaurant. A black sedan slowed down. Two men inside opened fire with automatic weapons, then sped off.
The victims were hit multiple times. One died on the terrace. The other tried to run inside but collapsed near the counter. Paramedics pronounced both dead at the scene. No other diners were injured, but several were treated for shock.
Police cordoned off the street. Forensic officers collected more than 20 shell casings. The restaurant owner said the men were regular customers and had no known enemies. Police think otherwise.
"This is clearly a settling of scores linked to drug trafficking. The method, the weapons, the location all point to that," a Marseille police official said at a press briefing. "The northern districts remain under heavy pressure from rival networks."
Marseille has recorded 23 drug-related killings this year, already surpassing last year's total. The northern neighborhoods, where unemployment is high, are battlegrounds for control of cannabis and cocaine sales.
The mayor's office called for more national police resources. Residents in the area say they hear gunfire at night and see lookouts on corners. They are afraid to let children play outside.
The prosecutor's office opened a murder investigation and assigned it to the judicial police. CCTV footage from the restaurant and nearby shops is being examined. The getaway car was found burned an hour later in a nearby housing estate.
No arrests have been made. Police are searching for two suspects.
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