After a suspect opened fire on police stationed outside the Israeli General Consulate in Munich, Germany, the perpetrator was shot dead by police. Now, information has been released that he is 18-year-old Islamist Emra I, a man with Austrian citizenship who was known to harbor “violent fantasies.”
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said: “He deliberately shot at the police officers, who returned fire.” Five officers were involved in the shooting and there were no injuries. Footage of the man was posted across social media, which featured him wielding an antique rifle with a bayonet.
Some users have since noted the rifle dates back to World War I and appears to be a German Mauser long rifle.
During the gun battle, witnesses say they heard approximately 25 shots.
The investigation has since been taken over by the Munich Public Prosecutor’s Office responsible for combating terrorism.
Police believe that Emra I. drove from Munich in a Renault vehicle, but he was not known to police in Germany for any criminal acts and was not on a watch list prior to this incident. However, a report from NDR indicates that Austrian police had him “on their radar” for his activity in Austria.
Welt reports that the Austrian authorities acknowledge the 18-year-old suspect had “harbored violent rampage fantasies” and had an Islamist background, although it is unclear if he was involved in any organized structure or guided by any foreign actors. So far, no such information has come to light.
Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) said there was a “serious suspicion” that the crime and the anniversary were connected. “Munich held its breath for a moment today,” he said. “Fortunately, it turned out well in the end.”
Andreas Franken, Munich police spokesman, said: “What we can actually confirm is that the perpetrator has now been identified, and it is indeed an 18-year-old with Austrian citizenship who, as far as I know, is resident in Austria. I would like to ask for your understanding regarding the motive. The investigation is still ongoing.”
In response to the attack, far-left Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said: “It is a serious incident,” but said she did not want to speculate about the shooting.
Joachim Herrmann, Bavaria state interior minister, pointed out that the act was clearly intentional, saying: “It’s obvious that if someone parks right here within sight of the Israeli consulate, then walks around this consulate with a rifle and starts shooting, that it’s certainly or very likely not a coincidence, that he didn’t know where he was or something like that. The police will investigate this carefully and then we will report concrete results to you accordingly.”
