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Officers of the forensics in the cul-de-sac in Bad Salzuflen

Photo: T.Freitag / dpa

Police officers shot at a fleeing motorist on Saturday in Bad Salzuflen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The 19-year-old suffered serious injuries. It could not be ruled out that he was in mortal danger, it was said by the public prosecutor's office in Detmold.

The incident occurred when patrol officers in Herford wanted to check the 19-year-old motorist and asked him to stop. Instead, the man stepped on the gas and fled to the neighboring town of Bad Salzuflen, the police followed him to a cul-de-sac. There, the man had to stop, the officers got out, according to the information, to arrest him.

Car collided with patrol car

However, the 19-year-old turned his car around and drove "at an apparently increased speed" towards the officers. The police shot at the car, which then crashed into one of the patrol cars. The driver suffered serious gunshot wounds and was treated by the officers.

Rescue workers took him by helicopter to a hospital. To clarify the background and the course of events, a homicide squad of the Bielefeld police was set up.

tgk/dpa/afp