It's every police officer's nightmare: two young officers were shot dead early Monday morning during a routine check on the open road.

At around 4:20 a.m. someone opened fire on them on a county road in the rural far west of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The officers had previously radioed that they would be checking a vehicle.

According to media reports, they are said to have found dead wild animals in the trunk.

According to a police spokesman, the officials called out "There will be a shot."

Julian Staib

Political correspondent for Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland based in Wiesbaden.

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But the support came too late.

The 24-year-old police officer, a student at the police college, died before her colleagues arrived, and the 29-year-old officer shortly afterwards.

According to the "Bild" newspaper, they are said to have been shot in the head.

The officers were traveling in an unmarked vehicle but were wearing uniforms.

After initial investigations, there was a suspicion on Thursday against 38-year-old Andreas Johannes Schmitt from Spiesen-Elversberg in Saarland, whom the police wanted to find.

A photo released by the police shows a young man with a beard, brown hair and a striped sweater.

As the "Spiegel" reports, he runs a wildlife trade and a bakery in the area.

His whereabouts were initially unknown on Thursday. The Kaiserslautern criminal police are taking tips on 0631 369-2528.

The officers searched for the man with high pressure.

Police helicopters, tracking dogs and special police forces were also used.

According to information from the German Press Agency, the suspect was already known to the police.

Citing security circles, it was said that the man had been noticed in the past for hit and run and had a gun license.

It was initially unclear whether there were other suspects and in which direction the escape took place.

The police asked the population in the Kusel district on Monday not to pick up any hitchhikers.

This was a precautionary measure - after all, the officers assumed that the perpetrator or perpetrators had or had a vehicle.

Several roadblocks have been set up at the site.

The crime scene is in a sparsely populated area not far from the Baumholder military training area and near the Saarland.

There were extensive manhunts in both federal states.

The Kaiserslautern police asked witnesses who saw something suspicious or knew where the suspect was to call the police.

According to a police spokesman, more than 50 tips from the population were received by the afternoon.

The killings sparked nationwide outrage. Regardless of the underlying motive, the act is reminiscent of an "execution," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD). The act shows "that police officers risk their lives every day for our security." The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, and the State Minister of the Interior, Roger Lewentz, were "deeply shocked" by the fatal shots. "Our thoughts are with the relatives and colleagues of the Rhineland-Palatinate police. The act is appalling. We are very upset that two young people lost their lives on duty," said the two SPD politicians. Dreyer ordered mourning flags to be displayed (half-mast) in the country.Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans (CDU) was also "deeply shaken" and "absolutely stunned". He also ordered mourning flags to be raised. According to him, the two officers killed came from Saarland.

According to Lewentz, resistance, threats and physical attacks against police officers have been increasing in Rhineland-Palatinate for years.

In 2019, 1,582 violent crimes against police officers were registered, in 2020 there were already 1,715, said Lewentz on Monday.

In the first quarter of 2021, 1,164 such acts had already been counted, but there were no more recent figures.

The head of the German police union, Rainer Wendt, said on Monday that most attacks on emergency services did not take place during terrorist attacks, during football or demonstrations, but with more than 80 percent in daily patrol work on seemingly harmless occasions.

Despite all the protection and training, there are situations in which damage cannot be avoided.

"Simply because the perpetrators are determined to do anything," said Wendt.

The head of the police union in Rhineland-Palatinate, Sabrina Kunz, was also dismayed by the incident.

"Our deepest condolences go to the relatives," said Kunz.

She appealed to the citizens of the Kaiserslautern area to refrain from gatherings against the Corona measures on Monday, out of consideration for the terrible act and the investigations for which many police forces would be needed.

The Kusel district administration also asked the population to refrain from “Monday walks”.

The police forces are bound by the search.