Mohamed Bouhlel, Truck Driver in Deadly France Attack, Had ‘Violent' Past

The truck driver killed by police after mowing down dozens of revelers in the French seaside city of Nice had a "violent" past, but was not previously the subject of a terrorism investigation, French prosecutors Francois Molins said Friday.

The 31-year-old driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, had been detained in March and convicted of voluntary violence with a weapon after throwing a wooden pallet at another driver during a confrontation, France's justice minister said.

Jean-Jacques told reporters Bouhlel's six month sentence was suspended and he was placed on probation. He said Bouhlel was required to present himself at a Nice police station once a week and post bail, adding that he respected these obligations "rigorously."

Prosecutors said he was also known to police "due to threats, violence and petty theft" between 2010 and 2016.

But it was unclear whether Bouhlel, a Tunisian-born delivery man living in Nice, had any ties to terrorist groups and whether he acted alone. At least 84 people, including 10 children and teens, were killed and 202 others wounded in the Bastille Day attack Thursday.

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