A man was shot dead by the police during the eviction of an apartment in the city of Cologne. The 48-year-old is said to have previously attacked police officers with a knife.
(dpa) During the eviction of an apartment in the city of Cologne, the police shot a man. The dead man was the 48-year-old tenant of the premises, as the police and public prosecutor announced after the operation on Wednesday morning in the Ostheim district.
According to the current investigation status, he had previously attacked police officers with a knife. After an “unsuccessful use” of pepper spray and the threat of firearms, the shooting finally took place. The man was fatally injured.
The authorities apparently classified the 48-year-old as dangerous in advance. According to the police and the prosecutor, he had previously made threats if there was an eviction. The bailiff responsible for the eviction then asked the police for help. It was initially unclear how many police officers were ultimately involved in the operation. The public prosecutor’s office has started proceedings to clarify the circumstances of his death.
According to the public prosecutor, the dead man was not a blank slate. He was last charged in June 2022 at the Cologne District Court. According to senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer, he was accused of resisting police officers after he announced his suicide and kicked the police officers who rushed to his aid.