In the early hours of May 31, a shootout occurred at the German-Czech border in which police officers fatally shot a man. The incident was reported by the DPA news agency, citing police from the Upper Franconia district.
The shooting took place in the border town of Schirnding, where officers attempted to stop a vehicle for inspection as part of enhanced internal border controls. The car came to a halt, but the driver suddenly exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, opening fire on the police in the process.
Police returned fire, fatally wounding the man. Despite immediate medical assistance, he could not be saved. No officers were injured in the exchange.
The identity of the deceased and the reasons he opened fire remain unknown. It is also unclear why his vehicle was initially flagged for inspection. The case is now being investigated by the criminal police in Hof, Bavaria.
Since October 2023, Germany has reinforced internal border checks to curb migration pressure. Following the formation of the new federal government in May 2025, the interior minister ordered tighter controls, including denying entry to asylum seekers who had already submitted applications in other EU countries.
