Oldenburg police investigating the fatal shooting of Lorenz A. have constructed a 3D reconstruction of the incident to aid their inquiry.
Sources close to the investigation indicate that the shots fired by police occurred at very close range – reportedly less than four meters. Lorenz A., a 21-year-old who later succumbed to his injuries in hospital, allegedly discharged pepper spray toward the officer involved. Video footage reportedly shows the deceased approaching the officer before turning away.
The shots struck him from behind. While police had received prior notification regarding a knife potentially carried by Lorenz A., he was not holding it at the time of the shooting; it was found in his pocket. Lorenz A. was a German citizen of Togolese descent.
The days and weeks following the Easter Sunday shooting in Oldenburg were marked by heightened tension. Demonstrations saw family and friends of the deceased accuse law enforcement of racism, drawing comparisons between the death of Lorenz A. and the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis. Oldenburg Police Chief Andreas Sagehorn stated that officers experienced an “unprecedented level of aggression” and reported instances of hostility during routine patrols unrelated to the case.
