Parents and brothers of Strasbourg gunman released
Three others still being held as French authorities hunt for anyone who may have helped Cherif Chekatt carry out attack on Christmas market that left four dead
French policemen patrol during the reopening of the Christmas Market of Strasbourg, in eastern France, on December 14, 2018. (SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP)
PARIS, France — Four family members of the gunman who went on a deadly shooting spree at a popular Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg were released from custody on Saturday, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
Three more people close to the attacker Cherif Chekatt, who was shot dead by police on Thursday, were still being held, it said.
But his parents and two of his brothers were freed as there was nothing to incriminate them at this stage, the prosecutor’s office said.
More than 700 French security forces had been hunting for 29-year-old Chekatt since Tuesday night’s shooting, in which four people died — the latest in a string of jihadist attacks to rock France.
French police officers stand guard near the scene of a shooting in Strasbourg, eastern France, December 11, 2018. (Abdesslam MIRDASS/AFP)
France’s interior minister on Friday dismissed a claim by the Islamic State group that it was responsible for the attack.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Editionby email and never miss our top stories
Police have been focusing their investigation on whether Chekatt had any help in carrying out his attack or while on the run.
Is our live election coverage important to you?
Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:
Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;
Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and
Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNationstreaming film series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
