An 11-year-old girl was fatally shot, and her parents severely injured in a shocking incident on Saturday, June 10, allegedly over a long-standing dispute with a neighbor.
During a family barbeque in their garden in Saint-Herbot, France, Solaine Thornton and her parents became the targets of a violent ambush by 70-year-old neighbor, Dirk Raats. Solaine’s father, Adrian, slipped into a coma post-assault, while her mother, Rachel, sustained gun wounds to her back and head. Solaine’s younger sister, Celeste, was able to flee the scene and summon help.
In a court hearing on Monday, June 12, Raats, the accused in the murder and attempted murder case, argued that Solaine was not his intended target. Prosecutors maintain Raats purposely aimed at Adrian and Rachel, firing from a close distance, inadvertently hitting Solaine, who was on a swing nearby.
The events transpired in Saint-Herbot, a town in Western France across the English Channel.The incident involves no French nationals. The suspect, Raats, is a retired Dutch citizen, while the victims, the Thornton family, are of British nationality.
The feud between the families began when the Thorntons cut down a large oak tree that extended over the Raats’ property, leading Raats to sue unsuccessfully for damages. Raats attempted to solve the problem through a town hall mediation in 2019, but the Thorntons chose not to attend.
Post-incident, Raats and his wife were discovered to be under the influence of drugs. A significant quantity of cannabis and an illegal firearm were found at their residence.
Following the violent episode, Celeste sought assistance from neighbors Pierre Leroy and his wife Frederique. Leroy vividly remembers the chilling moment when Celeste relayed the news of her sister’s death. Arriving at the scene, they found Solaine’s lifeless body in the arms of her mother, with Adrian still conscious despite his injuries.