Malek Bennouioua, prominent French Counter-Strike streamer, dies at 35

Malek Bennouioua, a prominent figure in the French Counter-Strike community known as ‘maleK’, has died at the age of 35.

According to reports, the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning in the Saint-Jérôme district of Aix-en-Provence. Following a distress message sent to his former partner, elite police units (the Raid) intervened at his residence. Despite hours of negotiations, Bennouioua died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after being transported to the hospital.

Bennouioua was a former professional player for teams such as beGenius ESC and Epsilon before transitioning into a highly successful content creator. He maintained significant followings on Twitch, YouTube, and X, where he provided tutorials and live streams for the Valve FPS title. His death has prompted widespread tributes from prominent members of the French gaming scene and his large digital community.