Terror in NiceThe perpetrator: Unstable loner with a history of petty crimes, interest in “girls and salsa”
The driver of the truck was identified as Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, who had a residency permit to live and work in France. He was a divorced father of three, and neighbors said he had become depressed after the breakdown of his marriage. The neighbors said that Bouhlele was not particularly interested in religion, adding that he preferred girls and salsa.
The driver of the truck was identified as Lahouaiej Bouhlel, a 31-year-old Tunisian, who had a residency permit to live and work in France. He rented a 19-ton white Renault lorry on Wednesday, and drove it into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing eighty-four people.
The French media reports that Bouhel was born in the town of Msaken, Tunisia in 1985 and had a French residency permit.
French television station BFM TV reported that he was a divorced father of three, and neighbors said he had become depressed after the breakdown of his marriage.
The neighbors told the TV channel that Bouhlele was not particularly interested in religion, adding that he preferred girls and salsa.
They described him as a “loner,” and as “depressed and unstable, even aggressive” of late, adding that this was probably the result of his “marital and financial problems.”
He had brushes with the police, and was brought to court on several occasions, and had convictions for assault with a weapon, domestic violence, threats, and robbery. BFMTV reports that he had also recently caused an accident after falling asleep at the wheel while working as a delivery driver, and was taken into custody following the incident.
His last appearance in a criminal court was March.
The police said he had no known links with terrorism and was not under surveillance.
