The manhunt lasted six days. German police announced on Friday that they had laid hands on a heavily armed suspect accused of having seized police service weapons.
Yves Rausch, 31, nicknamed the "Rambo of the Black Forest" by the German press, was discovered seated in the woods thanks to a report given by two witnesses. "With four weapons visible in front of him," said Jürgen Rieger, who led the search operation. The fugitive also held an ax in his lap and another weapon, and there was a letter in front of him.
He was lightly injured during his arrest, as was a member of the special forces who suffered a cut from the ax.
Yves Rausch fled into the forest on Sunday after having succeeded in disarming four police officers, triggering in south-west Germany this vast operation of the police force equipped with thermal cameras and supported by helicopters and police dogs. More than 2,500 members of the security forces had raked the area.
Oppenau's prosecutor, Herwig Schaefer, described Yves Rausch on Tuesday as a "fan of arms" with a "great affinity" with armaments.
Several convictions
The suspect has a long judicial history, charged with crimes such as the illegal carrying of weapons, robbery or assault causing injury. Police discovered child pornography on their cellphone during an investigation in 2019 for possession of explosives.
He was also sentenced to a modified sentence at the age of 15 for incitement to hatred. He had changed the letters on an inscription from a youth organization so that it reads "Juden weg", that is to say "Jews outside".
Homeless since the fall of 2019, he had settled in the cabin where he was spotted on Sunday.
During the hunt, the local kindergartens and open-air swimming pool had been closed as a precaution by the municipality of Oppenau, who had spoken of a "dangerous situation". Walks in the forest and outdoor activities were banned and aerial overflights in the region suspended.
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