According to authorities, a Dutch neighbor in northwestern France opened fire, resulting in the tragic death of an 11-year-old British girl and the serious injury of her father. The incident took place in the village of Saint-Herbot near Quimper in Brittany on Saturday night while the family was in their garden, as per the preliminary investigation.

According to a statement from Quimper public prosecutor Carine Halley, law enforcement officials responded to the sound of gunfire at approximately 10:00 pm (2000 GMT). At the scene, the lifeless body of the 11-year-old girl was discovered, while her father was found to have sustained critical injuries, as reported by the magistrate.

Prosecutor Halley stated that the mother was not considered to be in imminent danger to her life, and another child remained unharmed but was described as being in a state of shock.

The individual responsible for the shooting was identified as a 71-year-old Dutch retiree. While the motive for the incident was still under investigation, Prosecutor Halley mentioned that there had been a long-standing dispute between the two neighbors over a piece of land that connected their properties.

According to a police source cited by AFP, the neighbor fired his rifle through a hedge before returning to his residence with his wife. Both the neighbor and his wife have voluntarily surrendered to the authorities and have been taken into custody.

The public prosecutor's office has initiated an investigation into the case, focusing on charges of intentional homicide of a minor and attempted intentional homicide.