German police shoot Afghan who killed a fellow countryman and then attacked football fans

BERLIN (AP) — German police shot and killed an Afghan man after he fatally attacked a compatriot and later injured three people watching the televised opening match of the 2024 European soccer championships in eastern Germany, police said Saturday.

The 27-year-old Afghan initially attacked a 23-year-old compatriot with a “knife-like object” on Friday evening in Wolmirstedt, a small town about 130 kilometers west of Berlin, police said. The victim later succumbed to his injuries.

The man later attacked a group of people watching the football match between Germany and Scotland in the courtyard of a private house, injuring three German men, two of them seriously, police said.

Police said the attacker, still armed with the same object, also attacked officers called to the scene. Two of the officers shot and wounded the man, who died shortly after in hospital.

Police said the motive for the attacks was unclear. The Interior Ministry of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, which includes Wolmirstedt, said police had increased their presence across the state. The soccer tournament is taking place in cities across Germany and runs until July 14.