Wuppertal (dpa / lnw) - After the use of firearms in Wuppertal on Pentecost Sunday, three police officers are being investigated. All three are said to have fired their service weapons in an operation against a man who was walking downtown with a knife. The man was hit by several bullets and seriously injured. The public prosecutor's office did not want to confirm on Tuesday that he also had a pistol with him in addition to a knife. Several items that the man had with him would be examined.
A statement from the police and prosecutors on Sunday said the man had pulled out a pistol and aimed at the officers. Then they shot. In the meantime, proceedings have been initiated against the officials, two policewomen and one policeman, on suspicion of bodily harm in the office.
Witnesses reportedly told police on Sunday that a man armed with a knife was threatening pedestrians downtown. Because he did not respond to speeches by the emergency services, the officers used pepper spray.
The man still did not put the knife down, but continued walking, it was said on Sunday. Shortly thereafter, he sat down on a bench and threatened to injure the officers and himself with the knife.
The man had since been operated on, the public prosecutor announced on Tuesday. It was a "dynamic event" that is now being investigated. For reasons of neutrality, the investigations are being conducted by the Hagen Police Headquarters.
