Berlin, February 14 – Gunfire erupted in two Berlin districts on Thursday evening and early Friday morning. A car was targeted in Reinickendorf, leaving one person seriously injured, and an apartment in Kreuzberg was also shot at. These incidents are the latest in a recent surge of gun violence across the capital.
Car Shot at in Reinickendorf, Man Seriously Injured
In Reinickendorf, an unknown assailant fired shots at a car from the sidewalk on Buddestraße before fleeing the scene. The incident occurred on Thursday evening. The 37-year-old occupant of the vehicle sustained life-threatening injuries and was rushed to a hospital. According to a police statement issued Friday afternoon, his condition is now stable and he is no longer in critical danger.
Police cordoned off the crime scene extensively to secure evidence. The 1st Homicide Commission of the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) and the Berlin public prosecutor’s office have launched an investigation into the incident on suspicion of attempted murder.
An bullet hole was visible in the vehicle, underscoring the severity of the attack.
Apartment Targeted in Kreuzberg, No Injuries Reported
Later in the night, around 2:00 AM, residents of a building on Ritterstraße in Kreuzberg called emergency services after shots were fired at an apartment. Arriving officers found multiple bullet holes in the windows of one of the apartments. Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident. Initially, reports suggested a business had been targeted. The investigation into this shooting has been taken over by the LKA’s special task force “Ferrum.”
Recent Spate of Shootings Across Berlin
These incidents follow a series of recent shootings in the capital. On Wednesday evening, multiple shots were fired at an apartment door in Köpenick, though no one was injured. On Sunday, a shisha bar in Wedding was shot at, resulting in one person sustaining minor injuries from glass shards. Another shooting occurred on Sunday evening at a workshop in Neukölln, with no reported injuries.
For months, Berlin has experienced recurring gun violence. In response, the police established the special unit “Ferrum” to combat this issue. Justice Senator Felor Badenberg (CDU) recently warned of a new threat posed by gang warfare in the capital. “We are now seeing rival gangs visibly using violence on Berlin’s streets, whether through hand grenade attacks on establishments or shootings at people, vehicles, and buildings,” Badenberg stated.
Police spokesman Ömer Keleşoğlu commented on Friday, “We are observing that a large number of illegal firearms are in circulation. We take this development very seriously. Our goal is to consistently remove these weapons from circulation.”
The Berlin police continue their efforts to investigate these incidents and address the growing concern over gun violence in the city.
