A 38-year-old German man was shot dead by police near Zürich in Switzerland on Wednesday after he opened fire on law enforcement, fatally wounding a woman accompanying him, according to a police statement. .
This German national, previously unknown to the canton’s police services, has been wanted by the authorities since March 31. He had abducted a man in the canton of Zurich, but was quickly released.
His companion hit by the shots
As the suspect had firearms, the police called in an intervention unit once the suspect had been spotted in Wallisellen, a town not far from the financial capital of the Alpine country.
The intervention unit tried to arrest the suspect shortly before 8 p.m., but the man suddenly pulled out a gun and fired. According to the police, it was at this time that the woman who accompanied him was probably hit.
The response unit returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect. He and his companion died on the spot despite the immediate intervention of the emergency services, the press release added.
The police have opened a further investigation. Shootings, including with law enforcement, rarely occur in Switzerland.