German Police Shoot Armed Man Near Israeli Consulate in Munich

German police shot and killed a man in central Munich on Thursday after he fired at several officers near the National Socialism Documentation Center and just meters from the Israeli Consulate General, according to an official spokesperson.

The suspect reportedly appeared at the scene with a long gun and fired at a police guard booth outside the National Socialism Documentation Center. The officers, five of whom were protecting the building from the outside, returned fire and killed the attacker almost instantly.

"Police forces observed a person who appeared to be armed. The officers used their weapons, shot, and injured that person," stated Munich police in an initial report via the platform X. The identity of the attacker is currently unknown, and investigators are urgently working to determine it, as well as the motives behind what could be a foiled attack.

The area was immediately cordoned off by a large police presence, while special intervention units arrived and a helicopter flew overhead. Police emphasized that the attacker appeared to have acted alone and there are no indications of any accomplices.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Hermann reported that the suspect fired several shots without hitting anyone before officers present responded with their weapons. The attacker died from severe injuries sustained, Hermann highlighted.

"Serious Incident"

"This is a serious incident," underscored Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who declined to speculate pending investigation results and referred to statements from her Bavarian colleague and the police.

The incident coincides with the anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre. At that time, Palestinian terrorists murdered eleven Israeli athletes. On September 5th, two members of the Israeli delegation were killed in the Olympic village while nine others were taken hostage. About eighteen hours later, a German police rescue attempt ended in tragedy with all hostages, one officer, and five Palestinian terrorists dead.

The Palestinian commando demanded the release of 200 prisoners in Israel, as well as founders of the German terrorist organization Red Army Faction, Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof. Due to this anniversary, the Israeli Consulate General in Bavaria's capital was nearly empty on Thursday at the time of the attack, as its staff had attended a commemorative event in memory of the victims.

"Our office, located next to the National Socialism Documentation Center in central Munich, is surrounded by police. Our employees are safe. Exactly at 9:10 AM, loud detonations were heard. At least a dozen shots. We don't know more. Currently, a large police deployment has taken over the street," stated Benedijkt Franke, Vice President of the Munich Security Conference, in comments to the tabloid 'Bild.'