The tall metal barriers still blocking access to the parking lot of Goult’s village hall, in the Vaucluse region of southeastern France, do little obscure the striking scene: in the distance, the green hills of the Petit Luberon, hillside villages clinging to the slopes, vineyards, olive groves and lavender fields; in the foreground, bullet holes in the village hall’s façade, bloodstains on the steps and paving stones at the entrance and car debris scattered across the asphalt. In a single glance, Vaucluse reveals all its beauty and – all its violence.
The sound of gunfire drowned out the cicadas for a few seconds on the night from Saturday, June 21, to Sunday, June 22, in a scene reminiscent of a Tarantino film, at the end of a wedding party that ended in horror. At 3 pm on Saturday, Hakim and Chaïma (names have been changed) exchanged vows. By 4 am Sunday, their car came under fire from automatic weapons.
The village hall in Goult had already emptied out. Fewer than 30 guests remained when the newlyweds climbed into a large Mercedes G-Class to leave. A Volkswagen Golf blocked their way in the parking lot. Four masked men got out and opened fire. Chaïma, 27, was shot near the carotid artery and died instantly. Hakim, 25, was seriously wounded by several shots to the upper body. The bride’s 13-year-old nephew, who was in the vehicle, was seriously injured in the chest area. The groom’s sister, in a neighboring car, was more lightly wounded in the shoulder.
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