A sudden explosion of gunfire interrupted the nightly calm in Munich in the early hours of Wednesday morning. A 24-year-old Afghan man was arrested by police.
He is strongly suspected of having committed several serious sexual offenses. A firearm was used during his arrest.
The incident began when the 24-year-old Afghan, a migrant who was already in police custody, made his escape. As a police spokesman explained, “the man came to the police station 14 in Beethoven Street. There it was decided that he should be transferred to a prison. However, on the way to the police car, the man managed to escape.”
The escape at 3:20 am took two civilian task forces by surprise, who called out to the Afghan to halt. The man, however, ignored the calls and continued to flee in the direction of Theresienhöhe. “Since the 24-year-old did not stop but continued to flee, the police officers threatened to use firearms several times,” police said. When the suspect continued not to halt, an officer “fired two well-aimed warning shots up into the air.”
The 24-year-old then hid in a bush in the direction of Theresienhöhe. Further police forces were mobilized, who finally tracked down and arrested the man in his hiding place. The Afghan was taken to the detention center of the Munich police headquarters.
Further investigations against the 24-year-old Afghan are being conducted by Commissariat 17, which deals with cases of sexual violence against children, child pornography and youth pornography. However, police have indicated that due to the ongoing basic investigation, no further information on the crimes he is accused of can be shared at this time. However, it is certain that the man is accused of several serious sexual offenses against minors.