German police shoot a man with an axe in Hamburg hours before the 2024 European Championship match

A man who threatened German police with an axe and a firebomb was shot and injured on Sunday, officials said.

The incident in the northern city of Hamburg occurred a few hours before a match of the 2024 European Football Championship was to take place.

The man is receiving medical treatment, the Hamburg police said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), without giving further details.

The incident occurred in the city center of St. Pauli, where, according to German media, thousands of fans had gathered ahead of the match between the Netherlands and Poland on Sunday. The police spokesman said there was initially no indication that the incident was related to the soccer match.

Local media reported that the incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time on the Reeperbahn, a main street and nightlife area in the city. It was near a fan zone for supporters of the Dutch national team, reported CBS News partner BBC.

Videos and photos shared on social media showed chaotic scenes on the Reeperbahn.

Fearing possible fan violence and terrorist attacks, German authorities have placed police on high alert during the tournament, which began on Friday and runs until July 14.

On Friday, police shot dead an Afghan man after he fatally attacked a fellow countryman and later injured three people watching the televised match between Germany and Scotland in a town in eastern Germany. Police said on Sunday that the motive for the attack was still unclear.