The defendant conveys sympathy towards the Dramé family.
In September 2022, the tragic death of 16-year-old Mouhamed Dramé occurs during a police operation in Dortmund. The shooting officer now addresses the victim's family for the first time in the trial against several officers.
During the court proceedings at Dortmund District Court, the 30-year-old police officer, a defendant in the case, confessed his remorse. Following an intense session of testimonies and questioning, he turned to Mouhamed's brothers, who were present as co-plaintiffs. "I sympathize with the family. I hold responsibility for the death. This is a harsh and sorrowful reality for me. I can't fathom the notion of losing a loved one," the suspended officer shared.
He does not anticipate any forgiveness from the family. The officer revealed that he is haunted by the slain boy's face. When considering his career choices, he had hoped to bypass these kinds of scenarios. The family's lawyer, Thomas Feltes, appreciated this statement. It had been a long-awaited moment for the family. The teenager had passed away in the hospital shortly after the shooting, and his brothers had been in Germany for several months, witnessing the trial. The heart-wrenching display led both brothers to break down in tears.
The officer charged with manslaughter maintained his earlier assessment, as did the officer who shared details about the incident from an earlier day of the trial. The shooting was necessary because of Mouhamed's sudden advance towards his colleagues, armed with a knife. There was no room for a warning shot, he asserted when probed further.
Escalation: How and Why?
Mouhamed Dramé had initially crouched in the courtyard of a juvenile welfare facility holding a knife to his own throat. Two officers had recognized the situation as a potential suicide attempt and opted for non-lethal means of de-escalation, employing pepper spray to disarm him earlier. The authorities must now sort out how and why this seemingly static situation with a suicidal threat escalated into fatal circumstances.
Facing trial are a 55-year-old officer, two 29- and 34-year-old female police officers, and another police officer. While the latter is indicted for serious bodily harm due to the inappropriate use of pepper spray and Tasers, the public prosecutor's office also indicts the supervisor for instigating unlawful actions.
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In light of the international scrutiny and calls for justice, the Police department in Dortmund is conducting an internal review of the processes surrounding the use of force during the incident involving Mouhamed Dramé's death. Despite the officer's confession of sympathy and responsibility, the controversy surrounding police violence continues to escalate globally.
Regardless of the court's verdict, there have been numerous protests and demands for accountability in the international community, urging the German authorities to ensure that such incidents do not recur and to implement stricter policing standards.
Source: www.ntv.de
