Germany: 44-year-old man dies after Dortmund police use Taser on him

A man was killed by police in the western German city of Dortmund on Wednesday. Officers said that had used a taser on the 44-year-old homeless man, who was apparently experiencing a mental health crisis.

Tasers have not traditionally been part of German police officers' equipment, but since 2021 have been tested out in a pilot program in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Dortmund lies.

Police were called to attend the man, who according to witnesses was calling for help in the street and causing minor damage to parked cars in the Dorstfeld neighborhood. When the police arrived, they said, he hit their vehicle and tried to climb in its passenger seat.

Officers said that the victim became aggressive. He reportedly tried to drive their vehicle, which was when they used the taser.

Investigation launched

Later on Wednesday, a police spokesman said that there was evidence that the victim had consumed alcohol and had a heart condition.

"There is currently no suspicion of misconduct against any of them. It looks like the operation was conducted correctly and the officers behaved properly," prosecutor Henner Kruse told German news agency DPA.

As is customary with all officer-involved deaths, there will be an investigation carried about by prosecutors and another police force, that of the city of Recklingshausen, utilizing police body cam footage.

This is the second police killing in Dortmund in two and a half months. In August, a boy was killed at a refugee home in the city after police used a taser and shot at him while he was threatening to kill himself with a knife.