Tragedy struck in the heart of Dortmund on Wednesday evening as a 52-year-old man succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained during a police intervention. The individual, identified as a homeless man of Polish origin by the German newspaper “Bild”, was reported to have been causing a disturbance wielding a metal rod.
According to official police statements, the incident unfolded around 7:40 PM near St. Rajnold’s Church, where officers responded to a situation endangering their safety. In response, one officer discharged their firearm, injuring the individual who was subsequently rushed to the hospital.
Contrary to the initial police report, German media outlets, notably “Bild”, have confirmed the death of the man following the shooting. Eyewitness testimonies and footage from body cameras suggest that the man was wielding a 2.5-meter-long rod and had allegedly assaulted another homeless individual prior to the police arrival.
Despite repeated commands to drop the weapon, the man reportedly continued to wield the rod aggressively, advancing towards the officers. In a bid to subdue him, a Taser was deployed but failed to incapacitate him, leading to the fatal use of firearms by one of the officers