Armed burglar causes chaos in retail establishment (after stealing a knife)
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Munich (dpa) - A shocking incident unfolded in the heart of Munich as a woman wielding a knife attacked multiple individuals. Police intervened, and the suspect was shot, resulting in her death later. The investigation is moving at full speed, trying to make sense of the violent outburst at Theresa's Meadow, a well-known spot where the Oktoberfest takes place.
The suspect, a 30-year-old woman of Bulgarian origin, exhibited suspicious behavior before the attack. She caused a commotion in a local store, but no criminal acts were reported. The officers managed to calm her down, and she was released. However, the situation soon escalated outside the police station.
There had been murmurs about potential mental issues, but the police had not confirmed this.
Victims Slightly Injured
According to police reports, the woman initially attacked a 56-year-old man and then a 25-year-old woman near Theresa's Meadow. Both victims sustained minor injuries and were treated as outpatients. The scene the following day bore only a deserted ribbon as a reminder of the attack.
It remains unclear why the woman turned violent. The woman's apartment was searched, and no history of violent offenses was found. The Munich homicide unit, Kommissariat 11, is investigating the stabbing attacks.
Shots Fired and Emotional Reactions
Several police units were dispatched to apprehend the woman, who was reportedly still armed. Shots were fired, but the exact number of officers involved or shots fired remains undisclosed. The woman was injured and taken to the hospital, where she later succumbed to her wounds.
A witness claimed to have seen the woman with the knife near him and felt frightened. He tried to warn others, shouting "Get away, knife!" The police haven't confirmed this account.
Father Gino Levorato of the nearby Paul Church expressed his emotions regarding the incident. While the light injuries sustained by the victims reassured him, the death of the attacker deeply affected him.
Investigation and Use of Firearms
As per standard procedure, the authorities are reviewing the use of firearms by the officers. The Bavarian State Criminal Office is leading the investigations. Preliminary findings are yet to be released.
Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann expressed sorrow following the fatal police shooting. He acknowledged the quick response of the Munich police in addressing the knife-wielding woman but regretted her death.
Last August, a similar incident occurred in Munich, following which calls for increased use of Tasers were made. However, Herrmann rejected the idea, stating that Tasers are not a solution for all dangerous situations involving weapons like knives.
Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has proposed equipping federal police with Tasers. He aims to establish the legal framework for this by the end of the year, citing the increased threat to police in public spaces as a reason.
History of Police Shootings in Bavaria
2024 saw the highest number of police shooting deaths in Bavaria since 1997. According to the Interior Ministry, four people died, and there were injuries in five cases. Additionally, there was another fatal shooting by federal police forces.
Since 1997, the last time four people died from a Bavarian police officer's gunshot, there has been one such death in 2023, two in 2022, and none in 2021. The state criminal police office is handling the investigations.
- The investigation into the shooting of the 30-year-old woman in Munich is delving into potential mental health issues that might have contributed to the incident, as murmurs about her mental state had existed prior to the attack.
- The general-news outlet, health-and-wellness emphasis magazine, and crime-and-justice network are closely following the Munich stabbing attacks, as the case involves the use of firearms by police officers and the investigation into the suspect's mental health.
- The science community is expressing concerns regarding the use of firearms by law enforcement agencies in handling mental health situations, citing instances such as the recent stabbing attacks in Munich where the suspect appears to have exhibited signs of potential mental issues.
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