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.

Solaine Thornton became the unintended victim of gunfire while her family was engaged in a backyard barbecue in a garden at the center of the feud in Saint-Herbot, France. The offender, Dirk Raats, aged 70, also left her father, Adrian, in a coma and her mother, Rachel, in critical condition with gunshot injuries. Younger sister Celeste, aged eight, managed to flee the scene and raise the alarm.

In the ensuing court appearance on Monday, June 12, Raats, the accused in this horrendous crime, denied planning to hit Solaine. The prosecution stated Raats deliberately targeted Adrian and Rachel, firing upon them from close range, leading to Solaine being accidentally hit while playing on a swing.

The drama played out in Saint-Herbot, a town situated in western France, across the English Channel. Interestingly, none of the parties involved are French nationals. Raats is a retired Dutch citizen, while the British Thornton family are the victims in this case.

The disagreement erupted when the Thorntons removed a large oak tree that overhung the Raats’ property. This resulted in an unsuccessful lawsuit filed by Raats. In 2019, Raats sought mediation at the local town hall, but the Thorntons declined.

After the incident, Raats and his wife tested positive for narcotics. Authorities discovered substantial amounts of cannabis and an unauthorized firearm in their possession.

Following the attack, Celeste sought help from neighbors Pierre Leroy and his wife Frederique. Leroy still recalls the distressing moment when Celeste broke the news about her sister’s death. Upon reaching the scene, they discovered Solaine’s lifeless body cradled in her mother’s arms, while an injured Adrian remained conscious.