Crime - Police shoot armed man in Mannheim
A man armed with a kitchen knife has been shot dead by police in Mannheim. The 49-year-old had previously called the emergency services on Saturday afternoon, the police and public prosecutor's office jointly announced. During the call, the man stated that he had committed a crime.
A patrol with three officers drove to the Schönau district of Mannheim, said a spokesman for the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office(LKA). The 49-year-old was waiting on the street armed with a kitchen knife and threatened the officers.
Police fire four shots
According to dpa information, attempts to de-escalate the situation and persuade the man to put down the knife failed. When he approached the police officers again, an officer is said to have fired a total of four shots at the man. The 49-year-old was fatally injured as a result. He was taken to hospital, where he died shortly afterwards.
The background and motive of the 49-year-old was not known at first. According to initial findings, there was no argument, said the LKA spokesperson. The public prosecutor's office and police did not initially provide any further details. For reasons of neutrality, the LKA has taken over the investigation. Among other things, it is now examining how the officers and the 49-year-old reacted, the spokesman said.
Residents had reported three to four shots. Photos showed police cordons, several patrol cars and onlookers. Emergency counselors were also deployed.
The LKA is investigating
Service weapons may only be used as a last resort. Whether so-called direct coercion is used is decided by the police officer in question on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the principle of proportionality. The LKA is investigating the situation in the current case.
According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior, the number of firearms used against people has been at a very low level since 2017. "The police rarely make use of firearms," said a ministry spokesperson. This is also a clear sign of the good security situation in the state and the professional work of the police.
Up until the incident in Mannheim, there had been 44 firearms used directly against people since 2019, according to the spokesperson. Seven people died and 23 were injured. None of the cases resulted from the unauthorized use of firearms.
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- The incident took place in the Schönau district of Mannheim, which is located in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
- The Police and the Public Prosecutor's Office in Mannheim are jointly investigating the circumstances surrounding the man's shooting, as per the protocol of the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office (LKA).
- The man, prior to his encounter with the police, had called the emergency services and admitted to committing an offense.
- In response to the man's aggressive behavior and refusal to put down his kitchen knife, the officer decided to discharge their service weapon, resulting in the man being shot dead.
- Despite the beauty of Mannheim's streets, the city continues to grapple with issues related to Criminality, as evidenced by incidents such as this one.
Source: www.stern.de
