The Oldenburg Regional Court has approved the indictment against a 28-year-old police officer following fatal shots fired in the city center of Oldenburg. This decision was announced by the court on Monday. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, involved the shooting death of a 21-year-old during a police operation.
The Oldenburg public prosecutor’s office charges the officer with negligent shooting, asserting that he fired the shots even after the situation no longer presented a need for self-defense. According to the prosecution, the victim had previously used tear gas but was not armed with a knife and was attempting to flee. The authorities argue that the officer should have assessed the situation differently.
However, during an intermediate proceeding, the criminal chamber ruled that there was insufficient evidence of deliberate homicide. The court found that the shots were part of a dynamic sequence of events, suggesting the officer might have mistakenly assumed the attack was still ongoing. The precise details of the incident are expected to be clarified during the main trial.
