A shooting occurred in downtown Essen (North Rhine-Westphalia) on Friday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses, around 1:45 p.m., an armed individual exited a BMW and opened fire on a man but missed — the bullet struck a woman instead. It remains unclear whether she was a bystander.
The intended target managed to escape. The injured woman received first aid at the scene and was then rushed to the hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. Her current condition has not been disclosed.
Police suspect the incident may be linked to a conflict between criminal clans. Essen is known as a hub for Syrian and Lebanese gang activity. A large-scale manhunt is underway. The BMW carrying two suspects fled the scene, and law enforcement is actively searching for them.
