Increased Shootings in Berlin: 29 Suspects in Custody, Investigations Intensify
Berlin, June 5 – The number of shootings on Berlin’s streets has prompted the formation of a dedicated investigative unit. Approximately three months after its establishment, the public prosecutor’s office reports that 29 suspects are in pre-trial detention. A spokesperson for the public prosecutor’s office confirmed that 126 cases are currently being processed (as of May 27th), with charges filed in eight additional instances.
A trial commenced on Tuesday at the Berlin Regional Court involving a case of protection racket extortion and warning shots. Four men, aged between 21 and 26, face charges including dangerous bodily harm, attempted severe extortion, and threats.
Specialized Units Combat Organized Crime
The investigative unit “Telum” (Latin for “assault weapon”) was established at the end of February to intensify the fight against organized crime (OC). This move by the public prosecutor’s office was a response to the State Criminal Police Office’s special unit “Ferrum” (Latin for “iron”), which has been in operation since November 2025. Both groups are working closely together.
The Berlin police set up “Ferrum” after a significant increase in gun violence in the capital. This surge was primarily attributed to repeated offenses against Turkish-Kurdish business owners, particularly shootings at their premises by alleged members of Turkish-Kurdish organized crime groups.
Over 40 Live-Fire Incidents This Year
According to police figures reported by the “Berliner Morgenpost,” there have already been 46 incidents of live-fire handgun shootings this year. In comparison, the Berlin police registered 37 such cases in the entire year of 2025.
Overall, the police recorded 1,119 incidents of firearm use last year. More than half of these involved threats, while 515 cases involved actual shootings. This represents a 68 percent increase in firearm-related offenses (threats or shootings) compared to 2024.
This development is impacting the public’s sense of security. The “Berliner Morgenpost” reports that some businesses and landlords in affected areas are already taking action. The newspaper quoted a letter from a landlord of a building on Hermannstraße in Neukölln, where shootings have occurred: “We take the situation around the house very seriously.” The letter further states that they are continuously monitoring the changing dynamics in the neighborhood and are in increased contact with the police and security services. Further measures are being considered. Tenants are advised to be aware of their surroundings, keep building access points locked, and deny entry to unauthorized persons.
Recent Arrests and Ongoing Investigations
Police and prosecutors are working to increase pressure on criminal elements. Last weekend, a joint operation with a focus on Neukölln and Kreuzberg resulted in the control of nearly 200 individuals and the arrest of five suspects, according to the “Berliner Morgenpost.”
On Wednesday, a 38-year-old man was arrested in Schöneberg, suspected of shooting two brothers in Kreuzberg in March. At the end of May, four suspects were apprehended after shootings in the Graefekiez area. Investigators are currently seeking public assistance through a witness appeal for information regarding the perpetrators of shootings on May 25th in Kreuzberg, specifically in the Urbanstraße area.
A significant blow against an alleged protection racket gang was delivered in mid-May during the largest operation to date, involving approximately 570 officers. Nine suspected men, aged 23 to 63, were arrested. They face charges including the formation of a criminal organization. Police seized drugs, cash, a firearm, firearm parts, blank-firing weapons, two cars, and data carriers and mobile phones.
Source: Lippische Landes-Zeitung
