Four arrested in Germany after Giessen shooting leaves two seriously injured, but mainstream outlets refuse to report that all the suspects are Turkish

Several major German outlets reported on the shooting but did not state that the suspects were Turkish nationals

By Thomas Brooke
3 Min Read

Four Turkish nationals have been remanded into custody after a shooting in the center of Giessen left two young men seriously injured, including one who was shot in the head.

The four suspects, aged between 21 and 26, are accused of attempted manslaughter, aggravated assault, and violations of drug and weapons laws following the attack on Sunday night at Lindenplatz in the Hessian city.

According to Junge Freiheit, Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hauburger confirmed that all four suspects are Turkish nationals. Prosecutors declined, however, to disclose their immigration status, telling the outlet that this was not relevant to the case.

The victims were a 24-year-old Turkish man and a 20-year-old Algerian man, both of whom were initially in critical condition. Investigators say the suspects had gone into central Giessen to confront the 24-year-old over a long-running dispute.

The confrontation escalated into a physical fight before the 20-year-old Algerian, who police say had no personal connection to the other men involved, stepped in to help the 24-year-old and used pepper spray.

Two members of the group then allegedly opened fire, discharging at least three shots. The 20-year-old was hit in the head, while the 24-year-old was struck in the leg. Both men are no longer in acute danger, according to investigators.

Police launched a major operation after the shooting, involving more than 170 officers from several Hessian police headquarters, including special units. Investigators said telephone surveillance helped them track the suspects, who were arrested in Bad Wildungen.

During a search of their accommodation, officers seized one kilogram of cannabis and three loaded pistols.

All four suspects were already known to police for previous offenses, including aggravated assault and drug-related crimes. Authorities also said they had previously been recorded for violations of Germany’s Residence Act. It is unclear whether they had the right to be in Germany at the time of the shootings, and if not, why they were at liberty.

Several mainstream German media outlets reported on the shooting and arrests, but omitted the fact that the suspects were Turkish nationals.

At the time of writing, reports by outlets including Tagesschau, Welt, and Stern had not updated their coverage to include that detail.

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