An 11-year-old girl was fatally shot, and her parents severely injured in a shocking incident on Saturday, June 10, allegedly over a long-standing gardening dispute with a neighbor.
According to reports, Solaine Thornton was ambushed by 70-year-old Dirk Raats while her family was barbecuing in their contested garden in Saint-Herbot, France. Her father, Adrian, 52, fell into a coma after the assault, while her mother, Rachel, 49, suffered gunshot wounds to her back and head. Solaine’s eight-year-old sister, Celeste, was able to escape and seek help.
Raats, the suspect in the murder and attempted murder case, claimed during a court appearance on Monday, June 12, that he did not intend to shoot Solaine.
Prosecutors said that Raats had specifically targeted Adrian and Rachel, shooting them from less than 30 feet away. They suggested that Solaine, who was on a swing at the time of the shooting, was inadvertently hit.
The incident unfolded in Saint-Herbot, a town in western France across the English Channel. None of the involved parties are French; the suspect, Raats, is a retired Dutch national, and the victims, the Thornton family, are British.
The dispute between the families began when the Thorntons removed a large oak tree extending over the Raats’ property. Raats and his wife then unsuccessfully sued for damages.
In 2019, Raats attempted to mediate the issue at a town hall, but the Thorntons declined to participate.
After the shooting, Raats and his wife were found to be under the influence of drugs. Authorities found a large quantity of cannabis and an illegal firearm at their home.
Following the attack on her family, Celeste turned to neighbors Pierre Leroy and his wife Frederique for help. Leroy vividly recalled the harrowing moment when Celeste informed them that her sister had been killed. Arriving at the scene, they found Solaine’s lifeless body in her mother’s arms, while Adrian, despite being injured, remained conscious.
