Deadly police operation: Reul sees a new situation

IIn the case of the youth who was shot dead during a police operation in Dortmund, the suspicion of the shooter weighs more heavily than previously known. In addition, investigations are now being carried out against four other officers. This emerges from a new report by the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of the Interior, Herbert Reul (CDU).

The fact that the police operation against 16-year-old Mohammed D. got out of hand on August 8 in Dortmund was already clear from the details known so far. The unaccompanied minor refugee from Senegal had only been in Dortmund for a few days when he threatened to kill himself with a knife. D. is said to have suddenly approached the police officers summoned by a supervisor to stop him, knife in hand, whereupon one of them shot him with a submachine gun.

Against this officer was previously determined because of the initial suspicion of bodily harm resulting in death. But now the public prosecutor’s office is also examining investigations into manslaughter.

Reul speaks of a new situation

In addition, the public prosecutor’s office has four other police officers in their sights. An officer who initially used pepper spray against the youth and two police officers who shot at D. with distance electric shock devices (Tasers) are suspected of causing bodily harm in the office, while the officer in charge is about incitement to cause bodily harm. He had ordered the use of pepper spray and tasers.

“The fact that the investigations now also relate to four other officers and that the suspicion of the shooter could possibly increase, creates a new situation,” says Reul. “It also shows that we are paying close attention here. The public prosecutor’s office and the police clarify things clearly.” The minister urges patience. The process has not yet been completed, so far it has only been an initial suspicion.

“In the end, the judiciary will decide whether police officers behaved correctly or incorrectly in the specific situation. This case is now being carefully investigated, but does not warrant generalizations.”

At the same time, Reul’s report underpins the impression that the operation, in which twelve – and not eleven as previously known – officials were involved, was not appropriate to the situation from the start and various errors occurred. Ultimately, it remains unclear whether D. threatened the officials at all and whether they can rely on self-defense or emergency aid.

At the beginning of the operation, officials spoke to the young people in two languages. The investigation did not show that D. “was asked to put down the knife,” says the report.

The use of pepper spray also raises questions. According to previous knowledge, D. first crouched on a bush and held the knife point up in front of his stomach. The service group leader nevertheless ordered the use of pepper spray. Only then did D. jump up according to previous knowledge. Two police officers tried to stop him with tasers. But the first taser shot didn’t hit the right target, and the second didn’t result in D. dropping the knife either, “although it has not yet been conclusively clarified, due to different testimonies, how exactly he wielded it,” as the report now says.

It is also unclear whether D. moved towards the officers at all after the second Taser was used. What is certain is that the officer, who was standing a little to the side for security, then fired six shots from his submachine gun at the young person. Contrary to what was previously assumed, D. did not hit five of them, but four.

A BKA report is expected

The shooter has since been suspended from duty. The four other officers were initially transferred internally.

The recorded emergency call from the caregiver apparently also plays an important role in the further investigation. It is currently being evaluated by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) “in order to further clarify the exact process – in particular the chronological sequence”, as the new report says.

The background is that the entire operation with the fatal shots was recorded because the supervisor stayed on the line the whole time. As Dortmund’s chief public prosecutor Carsten Dombert told the German Press Agency, the supervisor and the police officer can be heard on the tape in the control center. In the background you can also hear people talking and popping noises that could come from Tasers or submachine guns.

The BKA is apparently able to extract and evaluate these noises. We are still waiting for a corresponding report from the BKA.