A man who stole an excavator and went on a rampage with a car in Baden-Württemberg on New Year's Eve has been shot dead by German police.
On Tuesday, a 38-year-old man stole an excavator from a construction company in the town of Grünsfeld in central Germany's Main Tauber district, injuring three police officers, two men and one woman.
The man is said to have used the car to destroy the store's inventory and then drive several kilometers to the town of Tauberbischofsheim, damaging several police cars and other vehicles along the way. Welts report.
Police said a man was stopped after officers fired shots at him. Attempts were made to resuscitate the man, but he ultimately died at the scene.
The motive for the assault is unknown at this time. However, police said they did not believe there was any political element involved in the incident.
A police spokesperson said it could not be confirmed at this time whether mental illness played any role in the escape.
“The deployed forces acted professionally in an extremely dynamic and dangerous situation and prevented a much worse situation from occurring,” said Thomas Mohr, vice president of the Baden-Württemberg state police union.
“While this is tragic and the end of a person's life should be mourned, police had a responsibility to prevent further casualties and ensure the safety of residents.”
