A law enforcement officer from the specialized GSG9 unit was killed on Monday during a firing training exercise at the Bundeswehr military range in Putlos, near Oldenburg in Holstein.

On Tuesday, police and the public prosecutor’s office confirmed the incident. Personnel from the Lübeck Criminal Police Department and the Lübeck Public Prosecutor’s Office immediately launched an inquiry into the events that evening, beginning the process of securing and analyzing evidence. According to initial investigative findings, authorities suspect the death was the result of an accident.

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) reacted to the news, stating that he was “deeply shaken” by the incident. The minister expressed his condolences, saying, “My thoughts and my prayers are with the family of the deceased officer”.