TLDR
- A 23-year-old man in Vendée, France, got 30 months in prison for firing a gun at attempted kidnappers.
- The prosecutor said the shot was revenge, not self-defense, because the attackers were already leaving.
- A bullet landed above a garage door just meters from trick-or-treating children.
- He was also banned from carrying a weapon for 15 years and from Vendée for five years.
- French authorities reported more than 70 crypto-related crimes by June.
A court in La Roche-sur-Yon, France, has sentenced a 23-year-old man to 30 months in prison. The ruling came on Wednesday, November 4, after an expedited hearing. French press identified him as Ayman R.
The case began on Saturday, October 31, Halloween. Around 5:30 p.m., the man ran to his father’s house in a small housing development. He said he had just escaped an attempted kidnapping and asked his father to call the police.
What Happened at the House
About 30 minutes later, hooded men arrived at the house. Neighbors told the court they saw two men kick the front door. This matched the man’s account.
The father and son held the door shut while the men tried to get in. Reports differ slightly on how many times the attackers tried to force entry. Ouest-France said they tried twice.
The man then went upstairs and took a Glock pistol. He fired from a balcony or window at an attacker who was climbing toward the home. The attackers fled and left a cellphone behind.
Another report said they abandoned a car that had been reported stolen. Police arrived soon after and arrested the man who fired. Officers had to struggle with the men inside before they could take them into custody.
The bullet ended up above a garage door. That spot was only meters from children who were out trick-or-treating. No injuries were reported.
Prosecutors first opened an investigation for attempted murder. After 48 hours in custody, the man was brought before a magistrate on Monday, November 2. The charges were changed to aggravated violence and possession of a weapon and ammunition.
He was held in pretrial detention until his hearing. The case was then tried quickly on November 4.
Court Ruling and Background
Vice-prosecutor Olivier Dubief led the case. He said the man was no longer in danger when he fired. “This is an act of revenge, not self-defense,” he told the court.
The defense lawyer, Jean-Baptiste Colombani, pushed back on that view. He said the court was ignoring the first part of the events. He described a team from the Paris region wearing balaclavas that came to grab a young man and put him in a trunk.
Colombani said his client owns cryptocurrency and that data about holders has leaked. He said the man was kidnapped before and ended up in a safe in Nantes. The man escaped that time.
Court reports say the man was previously targeted in 2022. He was also convicted in 2025 for violence and kidnapping in the south of France, according to Ouest-France.
Along with the prison term, the court banned him from carrying a weapon for 15 years. He was also barred from living in Vendée for five years. The kidnappers have not been caught and are still being sought.
The crypto link has not been confirmed. Ouest-France reported it as a possible lead and said the attackers’ motive was not stated. Attacks that use violence to force crypto holders to give up their funds are often called wrench attacks.
French authorities reported more than 70 crypto-related crimes by June. The sentence was handed down on November 4, 2026.
