Police operation in Berlin-Hellersdorf: SEK apprehends allegedly armed man

Course of the operation

The operation took place around 4 p.m. According to police, a judicial order was in place before the apartment was stormed. In addition to the man sought, police information indicated that another person was in the apartment. Both were encountered by emergency services.

The man sustained minor injuries during the arrest. The exact circumstances remained unclear for the time being. A police spokesperson stated upon inquiry that it had not yet been confirmed whether the man actually possessed a firearm. The information provided by the caller, who claimed to have seen the man in the stairwell earlier, was being investigated.

Following the arrest, officers searched the apartment. As the police reported, no weapon was initially found during the search. Investigations were ongoing. The identity of the man and a possible motive for his behavior were also initially the subject of ongoing proceedings.

Search and investigations

Police cordoned off the area around Oschatzer Ring for the entire duration of the operation. Residents were asked to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed. Around 4:30 p.m., police announced that the cordons had been largely lifted and traffic could resume. According to the spokesperson, there were no longer any traffic disruptions at that time.

Police initially provided no further details about the call that triggered the operation. Nothing was initially known about the background of the threat situation – for example, whether it involved a private dispute, a crime related to the apartment, or another cause. Investigators were examining whether the caller's account was accurate.

Impact on residents

Berlin police announced that further details about the operation would be released later in the evening once the analysis of the evidence was complete. The question of whether the search of the apartment would yield further insights was also to be clarified in due course. The public was asked to report any information from the residents' surroundings to the responsible police station.

Members of the Special Operations Command left the scene in the late afternoon. The multi-family building remained accessible to residents, provided they were not directly involved in the investigation. According to police, there were still isolated interviews with residents who had witnessed the incident.