The Berlin Police recorded a total of 585 incidents involving the use of firearms in the first six months of 2026. Breaking this down, 324 incidents involved threats, while 261 cases recorded shots being fired. This figure is an increase from the 561 cases recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to reporting by “Welt am Sonntag”. These statistics encompass the use of blank, tear gas, and signal weapons. In 2026, law enforcement reported 65 instances of shots fired overall; however, after manual review, 62 of these were classified as full criminal offenses. Police registered 118 victims from these incidents, including two fatalities.
On the investigative side, the Police Special Unit “Ferrum” has launched 708 investigations since its establishment, successfully securing 73 firearms and issuing 77 arrest warrants. Separately, the Public Prosecutor’s office task force, “Telum Berlin,” had 258 cases being actively processed by the end of September of this year. Among these, 19 cases have resulted in charges being filed or requests for punitive orders being submitted. Sixty-one individuals have been issued and served with arrest warrants, while nine had their charges dropped under certain conditions.
Investigators have observed a concerning trend where criminal networks are utilizing minors to carry out various assignments, including acts of arson and homicide. This model of criminality is being referred to as “Crime as a Service.” To tackle this emerging threat, Europol established the cross-border Taskforce Grimm. Since its inception in April 2025, the taskforce has reported making 300 arrests.
