"Was justified"

Proceedings for fatal police shooting discontinued

The investigation against a police officer who shot a 55-year-old man in the line of duty was dropped (symbolic image).

(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The case against a police officer who shot an armed man in Burgenland at the beginning of January has been dropped. The investigations had shown that the use of the weapon was justified, the public prosecutor's office (StA) in Eisenstadt announced on Thursday.

The 55-year-old's attack with a slashing and stabbing weapon had put his life at risk. As reported, the German citizen had first threatened his wife and then two police officers with a machete in Bad Sauerbrunn at the beginning of January. One officer was injured in the process. When the man could not be calmed down with words and pepper spray, the police used their service weapons. According to the public prosecutor, a total of nine shots were fired, three of which hit the man's body.

The man died as a result. The police officers were subsequently charged with gross negligence manslaughter and endangering physical safety. The proceedings against both have since been dropped. In the case of the first, the investigation revealed that he had not fired.

Wife criticized police
The 60-year-old wife of the victim criticized the procedure in a Facebook post. Her husband had not threatened her at all, she said, he had needed emergency psychiatric help. The officer's lawyer also spoke of a "threatening situation".