Posted on 03/15/2008 1:52:07 AM PDT by SolidWood
BERLIN (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier stationed in southern Germany was shot dead by police after threatening an ex-girlfriend and then going on the run armed with an assault rifle, authorities said on Friday.
The 30-year old, who was serving in the 2nd, "Dagger," brigade of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, broke into the woman's house late on Thursday, threatened her and tied her up, police in the Bavarian region of Unterfranken said.
She was able to free herself and alerted the police, who began a search using a commando unit and a helicopter equipped with thermal imaging equipment.
Officers found the soldier several hundred meters from the woman's house and tried to arrest him but he threatened them with the semi-automatic rifle and was shot, police said.
He died in hospital early on Friday, according to a statement from the "Dagger" Brigade Chain of Command.
"The Dagger Brigade along with the United States Army Europe takes incidents of this nature extremely seriously and will continue to work with the German authorities to maintain community safety," the statement said.
The name of the soldier was being withheld until his next of kin had been informed, it added.
German police said there was no indication that officers had acted illegally and prosecutors were not planning to open an investigation into the marksmen.
"The officers had to assume that the suspect was going to fire on them with the weapon," a police statement said.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Mark Trevelyan)
What a stupid reply.
It is said (in other sources) that he illegally took the semi-automatic gun (! you can´t buy that in Germany!) from the armory of his unit. Depending on the rank and influence of this soldier, this doesn´t sound strange.
That’s possible to do, even for a low-ranking Soldier. It depends on a multitude of factors, the most prominent one being how closely the company armorer tracks his arms room inventory before closing up for the day. Obviously that commander has some ‘splainin’ to do.
The incident is reported in a neutral way, just like the Yahoo message. This happens every day somewhere in the world - maybe not with soldiers involved, but you can find mad ex-friends all around. Since it´s not a special US/German affair, it´s not a big news message here. Don´t worry, the Iraq war destroyed all the US reputation, but Barrack Osama will build it up again! :-/
In the German forces, nobody gets off until the unit armory is counted and safe. When I was in deputy CO, it was the most important thing to ask in the late afternoon: “armory closed, counted and safe?” So I can imagine, the offender took the gun over the day, made it somehow off the base and kidnapped his ex.
These days, Army national guard patrols JFK airport, too.
Don´t worry, the Iraq war destroyed all the US reputation, but Barrack Osama will build it up again! :-/
I wonder what you mean by this. Is this sarcasm? Or are you venting a little of your own angst towards America here?
Kinda off topic, but.....
A news story actually identifies the Division and Brigade of an Army soldier! Usually it's something like, "A U.S. Army soldier, who was in 1st Platoon....."
One of the first things they told us upon arrival to US Army-Europe was: “if stopped by the police, do exactly what they tell you to. Call the MP’s when you get a chance”. Why? German police are heavily armed, well trained, and don’t mess around. Always appeared to be good advice.
Regards,
The first half of the sentence is the present, the second is the future. My Icon is an expression of sadness/anxiousness. Although I think that Mr. Obama will make America looking better in the eyes of the world, because he won´t act "unilaterally", he´s also the worst choice for the global problems. So while I hope that the US reputation will increase (because you are our natural friend - given our cultural bonds), I hope it won´t be Obama doing that, but McCain.
One thing that always struck me was how much more respect German police got from citizens compared to their counterparts in America. Don’t think it was just the fact they carried MP-5’s though... ;)
Regards,
BTW, things seem to be going fairly well in Iraq lately. Is anyone in Europe aware of this?
Although I think that Mr. Obama will make America looking better in the eyes of the world, because he won´t act "unilaterally", he´s also the worst choice for the global problems.
So you agree that the world's problems are best solved when the US is more willing to act unilaterally?
IMHO, there's no way to deduce that from the available information. He could've just been a sorry human being. There are some of those in the military, unfortunately. Or maybe you're right. We just don't know.
MM (in TX)
Well, as usual the Germans have more cajones than the French in terms of maintaining security. I highly doubt Muslims think of pulling the things they do in France.
Indeed. The German polizei can pull some pretty rough stuff off.
Was in Germany once, with some drunk and very disorderly candians, who thought it would be funny to call some uniformed cops “Nazis”. They pulled a number on the boys. Beat em to a pulp, and then tossed em in Jail like no other.
Oh, I agree. I dealt with them a lot because I worked in the JAG legal office, mostly in criminal law and so I had lots of contact with US MP's, CID, German police, etc. for US forces committing offenses out side a base. What I do know for a fact is that many times we had troops give German police a hard time, thinking US troops did not have to do what they were told to do by the German police, and start some physical thing with the police. The GP always won those little get togethers. Stupid boys trying to tell cops what they can and cannot do to them.
I was in Germany in the mid-70s and again from 87-91. Unless the Status of Forces Agreement has changed significantly since 1991, American forces can own weapons without regard to German laws. They can transport them to/from Germany when they move.
Personnel living in barracks must store them in the unit arms room but those living off-post can keep them in their living quarters.
I don’t think this policy is well-known by the German public and I often wondered what kind of stink that would raise.
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