By chance, a police officer in North Rhine-Westphalia witnesses a knife attack. With his service weapon he can stop the attacker.
A police officer who happened to be there shot an armed man in a gas station in Lengerich (North Rhine-Westphalia). The officer was filling up his patrol car on Wednesday when the 43-year-old man, armed with a knife, entered the sales room, police and prosecutors said.
In the gas station, the 43-year-old initially “harassed” an employee. When the 54-year-old gas station operator wanted to intervene, the perpetrator stabbed him.
Emergency surgeries for perpetrators and victims
The policeman at the gas pump was alerted by calls for help and ran into the sales room. He shot the 43-year-old several times with his service weapon. The attacker was hospitalized with gunshot wounds and the operator with stab wounds. Both had to be operated on. They were in mortal danger in the evening, it was said.
According to the current state of investigation, the gas station operator suffered numerous stab wounds and a gunshot wound to the wrist. According to the police and the public prosecutor’s office, there was no current information on the suspect’s injuries.
The background of the fact was still completely unclear for the investigators. Whether the 43-year-old wanted to rob the gas station or had another motive must now be determined, said a spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office.