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Germany: Police officers charged in Senegalese teen's death

February 15, 2023

Police were called when 16-year-old, Mouhamed D. allegedly threatened to harm himself with a knife. Officers later opened fire on the teen, with prosecutors describing the operation as "disproportionate from the start."

https://p.dw.com/p/4NVZR
Protesters gather at Neumarkt square in Cologne, Germany against police brutality
Dortmund police Chief Gregor Lange said 'damaged trust' needed to be restored after officers shot and killed the teenImage: Ying Tang/NurPhoto/picture alliance

In Germany, the Dortmund public prosecutor's office on Tuesday brought charges against five police officers in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Senegalese teenager.

The teenager's death led to protests against police violence in the western German city and sparked a debate over the treatment of minorities and how authorities handle cases involving people with mental illnesses.

The officer who fired the shots has been charged with manslaughter, while his superior officer has been charged with incitement.  Three others officers have been charged with dangerous bodily harm, according to dpa news agency.

What we know about Mouhamed's death

Mouhamed D. was a 16-year-old refugee housed at a foster home in the western German city of Dortmund.

On August 8, 2022, police were called when the teenager allegedly threatened to harm himself with a knife.

Officers claim that Mouhamed D. ran towards them with the knife, which they responded to by using pepper spray and two tasers on the teen.

An officer then shot Mouhamed D. with an automatic pistol several times after he allegedly attempted to get up and approach police again.

Local public broadcaster WDR quoted Dortmund prosecutors as saying they believe the operation had been "disproportionate from the start.''

Debate over police violence

Police shootings are rare in Germany compared with many other countries, particularly the United States. One representative study showed that in 2020, German police used firearms 159 times against people, of which 49 were warning shots.

Fifteen people died as a result of shots fired by police and 41 were injured.

Dortmund police Chief Gregor Lange said that "this operation, in which a 16-year-old Senegalese refugee tragically lost his life, has damaged trust, especially among people with a migrant background, which we must restore."

Lange said that working group had been established in 2022 which met regularly with associations and institutions to address issues of insecurity among the city's migrant population.

kb/rs  (dpa, epd, AP)

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