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A 10-year-old boy was killed during a shootout between four gunmen in southern France on Monday night, The Local reported.

The shooting took place in Nîmes in south east France at around 11pm on Monday.

Franceinfo reported that a local man had been trying to park after driving home from a restaurant with his two nephews when the incident occurred. 

Two of the people in the car - the driver and his 10-year-old nephew - were hit by gunfire. The driver's other nephew was reportedly not harmed.

Police say they believe the shooting was related to a 'settling of scores' between drug gangs in the city.

The motorist - who was not known to police - drove directly to the hospital afterwards, where the boy died on arrival. The motorist's condition was considered to be 'life-threatening' as of Tuesday morning, according to Le Parisien.

A police source told Franceinfo that at least four men fired their weapons during the incident. 

The suspects were reportedly in a stolen vehicle, which was later found, according to France Bleu Gard Lozère. Approximately 10 shell casings were found at the scene.

François-Xavier Debonneville, one of the heads for the département's Alliance Police Nationale union told France Bleu the event was "terrible and unnacceptable".

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said the shooting appeared to be related disputes among drug traffickers, calling it "a huge tragedy that will not go unpunished".

The minister added that French police have increased arrests of those involved in drug trafficking, and plan to continue "intensifying their presence".