Hamburg Police Shoot Armed Man Ahead of Euro 2024 Match

In Hamburg, police shot a man wielding a pick hammer and Molotov cocktail before a Euro 2024 match. The 39-year-old refused to surrender, resulting in a leg injury. Authorities are vigilant for potential violence during the tournament. The incident appears unrelated to the game.

In a dramatic incident in Hamburg, German police opened fire on a man brandishing a pick hammer and Molotov cocktail hours before the city hosted a European Championship soccer match. The suspect, a 39-year-old German national, was hit in the leg after refusing to comply with police orders to disarm. He was subsequently hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while no other individuals were harmed, according to Hamburg police.

The confrontation occurred in the St. Pauli district, bustling with fans ahead of the match between the Netherlands and Poland. Preliminary investigations suggest the man may have been experiencing mental health issues, and currently, there is no evidence linking the incident to the Euro 2024 event, police officials noted.

Authorities have heightened security measures throughout the tournament, which kicked off last Friday and continues until July 14, amidst concerns over potential fan violence and extremist threats. This latest episode follows a fatal police shooting on the tournament's opening day, where an Afghan man attacked several bystanders in eastern Germany. The motive behind that attack remains unclear.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)