In the trial of the killing of a gas station employee in the dispute over the obligation to wear a mask, the accused admitted the allegations.

"I regret my actions and am ashamed," said Mario N. on Friday before the district court of Bad Kreuznach through his lawyer.

In the statement, he also apologized to the victim's family.

He was shocked by the act himself and felt guilty.

"It should never have gotten that far," the 50-year-old said in a statement read by his defense attorney.

The indictment accuses N. of maliciously murdering the 20-year-old gas station employee and base motives, illegally carrying the murder weapon and illegally possessing another firearm.

According to his defense attorney, N. argued with the 20-year-old cashier Alex W. about the obligation to wear a mask when paying at a gas station in Idar-Oberstein on September 18.

He left the gas station without the goods.

At home he got more and more annoyed about the situation at the gas station and decided not to let the matter rest.

According to the indictment, N. returned with a mask about an hour and a half after his first visit to the shop.

N. therefore pulled her down at the checkout to provoke a reaction from Ws.

There was a brief exchange of words in which he was asked to put the mask back on.

The 50-year-old then shot the 20-year-old in the face from a short distance.