Law enforcement officials discharge firearms at an individual in Krefeld.
In a movie theater in Krefeld, Germany, law enforcement officers engaged a suspect. The individual is suspected of starting fires at three various locations within the city earlier. Eventually, the suspect made an appearance in the theater's lobby, where two officers halted him with shots from their service weapons.
In the North Rhine-Westphalian city of Krefeld, police shot a 38-year-old man in the cinema foyer. Following reports of three fire locations in the Krefeld district of Cracau on Friday evening from 19:50, officers identified and pursued a potential offender, as confirmed by a police spokesperson to the AFP news agency. The man allegedly encountered resistance in the cinema foyer, forcing officers to use their firearms to stop him.
The police later announced that the man had attempted to start a fire in the cinema as well, though his efforts were thwarted. Early investigations suggest that the suspected arsonist is a Krefeld resident of Iraqi descent. The motive for the incidents remains unclear, and there is no apparent link to terrorism. The injured man was transported to a hospital for medical treatment by emergency services.
The three fires attributed to the suspect included a residence, a parked car, and an office building. No injuries were reported in relation to the blazes.
Onlookers present at the theater witnessed the police interaction, reported the spokesperson. Investigators believe the incident to be the work of a single individual, implying no ongoing threat to the public. Prior to the incident, the suspect is believed to have started fires near the train station.
The spokesperson could not provide details on the man's activities within the theater or his rationale for entering or fleeing the cinema at that point. It is also unclear if the suspect was armed, according to the spokesperson, who stated, "I'm still unaware of the reasoning behind the shooting." WDR reported that the suspect aimed to enter the cinema armored with both a Molotov cocktail and another weapon, leading to his gunning down in the foyer.
Police do not rule out a potential attack
From a logistical standpoint, the police initially considered the situation as an "attack" incident. However, the classification does not necessarily imply it was an attack, explained the police spokesperson. "Although we cannot completely dismiss the possibility that it was an attack, we are still undecided about the motive," he added.
The police secured the area surrounding the cinema. Numerous law enforcement officers were present at the scene. The train station itself remained open, allowing people to come and go. Krefeld is a sizable city on the Lower Rhine, boasting roughly 236,000 residents.
According to unverified sources from the "Bild" newspaper, the suspect threw an incendiary device into the Federal Employment Agency building at 19:50. Shortly thereafter, he is said to have set fire to a car parked in front of the building and fled towards the main train station. The newspaper also reported that a multi-family home roof caught fire in the vicinity shortly after.
The suspect's actions in the theater included an attempt to ignite a fire, but it was successfully prevented. The police are deliberating whether the incident was an attack or not, considering the use of a Molotov cocktail by the suspect.
