Belfort prosecutor denies officer drowned teen; two minors face assault charges

The prosecutor in Belfort has denied rumors that a police officer attempted to drown a teenager, stating two minors are being prosecuted for aggravated violence against the officer who was beaten on Friday. The officer's condition is now stable. The prosecutor said the riverbed where the arrest occurred had water only 19 centimeters deep, contradicting the drowning claim. The officer, in civilian clothes, had identified a suspect near a high school before a struggle in the shallow Savoureuse river. The teenager and another minor face charges for the attack. The officer was beaten by other individuals after returning with the suspect in handcuffs, losing consciousness briefly. The arrested minor, aged 17 and a half, was found carrying gloves, lighters, and aerosol cans. A second 15-year-old suspect allegedly also kicked the officer.