Olympique Marseille director's son shot dead Published duration 5 September 2013

image copyright AFP image caption The murder of Adrien Anigo is the 15th such street killing in Marseille this year

The son of the sports director of one of France's biggest football teams, Olympique Marseille, has been gunned down in a suspected gangland killing.

Adrien Anigo, 30, was shot and killed as he was getting out of his car in a rough neighbourhood of Marseilles.

It was the second such shooting in Marseille on Thursday, and is believed to be one of 15 similar killings in the southern French city so far this year.

Jose Anigo is a well-known figure in French football management.

The killing of his son made headline news around France.

image copyright AFP image caption Jose Anigo is a familiar figure in French football management

English footballer Joey Barton, who was on loan at Marseille from QPR last season, tweeted his condolences to Jose Anigo, "his family and all at Olympique Marseille right now. Sorry to hear the tragic news".

Police said Adrien Anigo was shot at point blank range, at least once in the head, in a northern suburb of Marseille at around 16:00 (14:00 GMT). The gunmen fled the scene on motorbikes.

The younger Mr Anigo had been in custody in the past, accused of taking part in a series of armed robberies, but had been released.

Hours earlier, a 24-year-old man was shot dead as he arrived for work in a town some 30km (20 miles) from Marseille.

Many of the street killings around Marseille this year have been linked to drugs trafficking.

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault last month sent in extra riot police and investigators to try to stem the killings.