Two Men Jailed for 2022 Drive-By Shooting of Argentine Rugby Player Federico Aramburu in Paris
- A Paris court sentenced two men with far-right links over the fatal 2022 shooting of former Argentine international Federico Martin Aramburu
- Loik Le Priol, who fired the fatal shots, addressed Aramburu's family in court as the trial concluded on Friday
- Aramburu's widow Maria made a plea to the court on behalf of herself and the couple's three children
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A French court has handed down lengthy prison sentences to two men convicted of the fatal shooting of former Argentine rugby international Federico Martin Aramburu, who was killed on the streets of Paris in March 2022.
Loik Le Priol, 32, a former soldier identified as the man who fired the shots that killed Aramburu, received a 26-year custodial sentence. His companion that night, Romain Bouvier, 35, who initially discharged a firearm during the incident, was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Both men had links to a far-right extremist group that has since dissolved.
What Happened on the Night of the Shooting
According to BBC Sport, CCTV footage reviewed during the investigation showed Aramburu and his former rugby teammate Shaun Hegarty were at a bar near Boulevard Saint-Germain in the early hours of 19 March 2022, seated in the same establishment as Le Priol and Bouvier.
A confrontation broke out between the two groups. As the rugby players made their way towards their hotel, Le Priol and Bouvier reportedly pursued them by car and opened fire. Aramburu died at the scene.
Le Priol was subsequently arrested in Hungary while attempting to cross into Ukraine, having told Hungarian authorities he intended to go there to fight.
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Sentencing and Court Proceedings
During Friday's hearing, Le Priol directly addressed Aramburu's family and asked them to forgive him. He said he was a Christian like them and pointed to Pope Leo XIV's presence in France as a possible sign, adding that he hoped they would one day find the strength to forgive him.
The presiding judge, however, offered a stark assessment of Le Priol's actions, saying he had been driven by a desire to kill. The judge said Le Priol's narcissism, intrusive behaviour and uncontrollable rage had ultimately resulted in the gratuitous killing of Aramburu.
The defence raised post-traumatic stress disorder in mitigation for Le Priol and cited childhood trauma on Bouvier's behalf. Aramburu's widow, Maria, addressed the court and called for a verdict that would allow her and the couple's three children "to build their lives as adults."
Who Was Federico Martin Aramburu?
Aramburu was 42 years old at the time of his death. He represented Argentina on 22 occasions at international level, featuring at the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France, where he scored a try against the host nation as Argentina finished third. He also played for French clubs Perpignan, Biarritz and Dax before joining Glasgow Warriors in 2010.
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Source: Briefly News
