Due to fear of attack, German police shot and killed a man near the Euro 2024 fan zone. The incident occurred yesterday in Hamburg around 12:30 local time (an hour less in Lisbon).
The suspect left a bar on one of Hamburg’s busiest streets, where thousands of Dutch people had gathered to either go to the stadium to watch their national team play (more on page 26) or to a special area set up for fans, located about a kilometer away. Armed with a slate hammer (used on roofs) in one hand and a Molotov cocktail in the other, he threatened law enforcement officers who approached him, as well as passers-by who surrounded him.
Videos posted online support authorities’ story that police unsuccessfully tried to force the man to drop items in his possession. Then pepper spray was used, which also had no effect. Likewise, the warning shot initially fired by the civilian agent was not sufficient to cause the assailant to surrender. It was then that the police fired more than one shot at the suspect. He was wounded in the leg and was treated on the spot. He was taken to the hospital, but his life was not in danger.
A Hamburg police spokesman said there was “no indication of a connection to football,” although agents initially suspected the incendiary object was intended to cause explosions among fans. No further explanation was provided as to what motivated the attack. However, German authorities believe that the suspect – a 39-year-old German man with schizophrenia, Bild reports – acted alone.
Author: João Moniz
Source: CM Jornal
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