Police shots at smuggler’s car: investigation into suspected murder

One of the two victims was hit in the head by a shot from the assault rifle and was critically injured, the “Salzburger Nachrichten” (SN) reported on Wednesday. According to the report, the spokeswoman for the Salzburg public prosecutor’s office, Elena Haslinger, confirmed investigations into the suspicion of attempted murder: “Due to various circumstances surrounding the shots – such as the direction of the shot, the shot channel and bullet holes in the vehicle at the height of the upper body area of ​​the occupants – a conditional intent to kill cannot currently be ruled out become.” This means that the two suspects may have thought it possible to kill someone when they acted.

Wild chase

The incident occurred on December 11 in the early hours of the morning. The Salzburg police were informed by their colleagues in Bavaria that the driver of a panel van had evaded control when entering the country by turning around and speeding away. Initially, the German police officers themselves gave chase on the Pinzgau federal road from the Steinpass towards Saalfelden and were shortly afterwards relieved by local forces. A Salzburg patrol finally managed to drive up to the van and the police tried to get the getaway vehicle to stop. The van repeatedly rammed the patrol car.

Shot from close range

Finally, one of the police officers fired two pistol shots at the getaway vehicle while driving “to end the immediate danger for bystanders and the emergency services,” the police report said. “Here, shots were fired from a short distance in the direction of the driver’s side of the getaway car. The two bullet holes in the windows were at upper body height of the occupants. “This may indicate a conditional intent to kill,” said Haslinger. According to the police, the projectiles are likely to have “a splintering effect in the getaway vehicle” and hit a 19-year-old Syrian man sitting behind the handlebars in the hand. This man refused medical treatment.

Syrian critically injured

The driver – a 34-year-old Romanian – continued to flee despite the shots. Shortly before Saalfelden he left the main road, came off the snow-covered road and got stuck in the snow. The driver ran away in the darkness; ten Syrians remained in the car. When two police officers asked the passengers to get out, a 34-year-old officer fired a shot from the police assault rifle for an unknown reason, hitting a 27-year-old Syrian in the car. When asked, the police did not provide any information about the extent of the injury; the public prosecutor’s spokeswoman now said that the man had been hit in the head and had life-threatening injuries.

The police arrested the driver shortly after he fled. The chase stretched for almost 30 kilometers. “The escape took place despite bad weather with rain, snowfall and icy conditions, at extremely high speeds and without consideration for the Syrian nationals in the vehicle, uninvolved road users and the police forces deployed,” the police report said. The ten Syrians wanted to be taken from Slovenia to Germany by the suspected smuggler.

Investigations in the early stages

Public prosecutor’s spokeswoman Elena Haslinger explained to the APA that the investigation was still in its early stages and that the investigation “does not mean that it is set in stone and has to stay that way.” So we have to wait and see how the two accused answer. “The police have regulations about the use of firearms, i.e. when and how such use is justified,” said Haslinger. It will therefore be examined whether there were any justifications. Based on the photos of the bullet holes in the car, a conditional intent to kill cannot currently be ruled out. “It looks like the shots were aimed at the driver.” The spokeswoman also confirmed that the victim of the shot from the assault rifle suffered “very massive facial injuries” that were life-threatening.

info By clicking on the icon you can add the keyword to your topics.

info
By clicking on the icon you open your “my topics” page. They have of 15 keywords saved and would have to remove keywords.

info By clicking on the icon you can remove the keyword from your topics.

Add the topic to your topics.