Police reveal man shot in Tuttlingen was carrying replica gun

A 27-year-old man who was fatally shot by police in Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, on October 8 was in possession of a replica pistol that resembled a real firearm, according to preliminary investigation results. The incident occurred near the town's Rathaus, where the man reportedly brandished the weapon, prompting police involvement.

On Monday, the public prosecutor's office and the state criminal police office provided updates on the case, confirming that the weapon in question was a blank-firing pistol, designed to mimic a SIG Sauer firearm. Police were initially unaware it was not a genuine gun when they responded to the incident. The official weapon assessment statement is still pending, as is the full autopsy report.

The shooting unfolded after police were alerted to the man's presence in the courtyard of Rathaus, where he was seen with the firearm. Authorities stated that upon the arrival of the officers, the man appeared to shoot at them, which precipitated a return of gunfire from the police. Despite attempts to resuscitate the man, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene. No other individuals were hurt during the encounter.

Investigators are still trying to determine the number of shots fired and whether the man discharged his weapon at all. His motivations for being in the Rathaus vicinity with the gun remain unclear. The man, identified as an Afghan national residing in Tuttlingen, had a history of police interactions, though specifics were not disclosed.

The man's body was eventually released for burial following the completion of a preliminary autopsy, which indicated three gunshot wounds to the torso and a superficial graze on the arm. Meanwhile, police report an increase in fatal shootings, mirroring a rise in violence against officers, including attacks involving knives.

Source: spiegel.de