A police officer shot a driver during a traffic stop in Berlin-Mitte on Tuesday evening, leaving the man hospitalized with a leg wound, authorities said. The incident occurred around 9 p.m. at the intersection of Karl-Liebknecht-Straße and Spandauer Straße, near Alexanderplatz, following a pursuit.
Police had stopped the vehicle on suspicion of hit-and-run and drunk driving after witnesses reported it was involved in at least one traffic accident, according to a statement posted on X. During the check, an officer discharged a firearm, striking the driver. A police spokesperson confirmed the man was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The vehicle had been pursued by officers prior to the stop, police said. Investigators from Berlin’s criminal police have opened a probe into the shooting, though further details, including the circumstances leading to the use of the firearm, remained unclear on Wednesday.
