Jean-Pierre Ferrara
In October 2016, officers from the Échirolles, France, police department killed 51-year-old Jean-Pierre Ferrara in the garden of his own house. Officers arrived at his home after a call from his neighbor, with whom he recently had a conflict.
On October 28, 2016, 51-year-old Jean-Pierre Ferrara was shot dead by police in the garden of his house. That day, his neighbor called the police and reported that Ferrara had threatened him with a gun. When police arrived at the man’s house, they found the man roasting a barbecue in his garden. Police said that Ferrara was holding a machete, but dropped it immediately after the police ordered him so. According to the officers, he took out a signal pistol, which forced police to open fire on him. Police shot Ferrara about three times; one of the bullets punctured his lung and an artery, causing him to die on the spot. The police department later released a report stating that the officers acted in self-defense and could not be held accountable.
However, the man’s family does not agree with the department’s decision. They claim that he had hearing problems and did not understand what was going on. A lawyer for the victim’s family said police may have used tasers or other less lethal methods to resolve the conflict. In April 2021, the family of the deceased told the media that they intended to fight for justice for him.