(JTA) — A French soldier guarding a Jewish community center in Nice accidentally dicharged his weapon outside the building.
The soldier fired three shots from his firearm on Thursday outside the city’s Chabad center, according to Le Parisien. The incident ended without injury or damage to property.
The weapon was pointing downward and the volley hit the ground, according to the Nice edition of the France 3 television channel.
The southern city is among dozens of locales in France where troops were deployed outside Jewish institutions following the slaying of four Jews in a kosher shop near Paris on Jan. 9 by an Islamist.
Another 13 people died in attacks that the assailant, Amedy Coulibaly, and two of his accomplices perpetrated on Jan. 7 and Jan. 8.
On Jan. 15, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said 10,000 troops have been deployed around Jewish potential targets, adding he intended to keep them there for several months at least.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
