The 27-year-old man was found dead on the street in Marseille in the early hours of Sunday, in an area where rioting had previously taken place.
The cause of death is believed to be a cardiac arrest following being hit in the chest with a ‘flash-ball’ stun grenade, of the type commonly used by police.
Local paper La Provence said that the man was found in the city centre and had been riding a scooter. It is not known at this stage who fired the stun grenade, or whether the man himself had been involved in the rioting.
The police watchdog the IGPN is involved in the investigation, according to French media.
The southern port city of Marseille saw several nights of violence during the riots, with severe clashes between police and rioters both in the suburbs and the centre of the city.
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