German police shot a person wielding an axe and carrying an "incendiary device" on a street packed with soccer fans in Hamburg, just hours before the city was set to host Poland vs. Netherlands at Euro 2024 on Sunday.
According to a statement from Hamburg police on X, the person threatened officers before being shot. The individual was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment, the statement also confirmed.
Local media reports say the incident took place at about 12:30 local time (10:30 GMT/5:30 ET).
Auf #StPauli kommt es aktuell zu einem größeren Polizeieinsatz.
— Polizei Hamburg (@PolizeiHamburg) June 16, 2024
Nach ersten Erkenntnissen hat eine Person Polizeikräfte mit einer Spitzhacke und einem Brandsatz bedroht. Die Einsatzkräfte machten in der Folge von ihrer Schusswaffe Gebrauch. Der Angreifer wurde dabei verletzt und… pic.twitter.com/gSCVwbq2NH
Translation of the tweet: At #StPauli there is currently a major police operation. According to initial findings, a person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device. The police then used their firearms. The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.
The shooting is said to have occurred in Hamburg's entertainment district, the Reeperbahn, known for its restaurants and bars, and at a time when the area was filled with thousands of Dutch fans who had gathered to watch the Netherlands play Poland in their opening Group D match at Euro 2024.
Reeperbahn is just a 10-minute walk from the city’s official Euro 2024 Fan Zone, which was packed with even more fans at the time. The incident took place on the third day of the month-long tournament, which features the continent’s top 24 teams every four years.
The match between Poland and the Netherlands at the city’s Volksparkstadion, which has a capacity of about 57,000, was the first of three games scheduled for Sunday.
Police later confirmed that a 39-year-old German had been wounded in the leg, but that his injuries were not life threatening.
A statement, reported by Reuters, suggested that the man may have been acting in a state of mental agitation as he emerged from a snack bar brandishing the weapons. The police investigation is ongoing.
