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Two Turkish nationals fired multiple shots at a German Special Commando Unit (SEK) during a high-speed car chase in Bavaria on Tuesday after fleeing a police raid on suspected illegal weapons possession, authorities said.
Both suspects were detained following a crash and face attempted manslaughter charges.
The Ansbach District Court issued arrest warrants against the 24-year-old passenger for attempted manslaughter and the 23-year-old driver for aiding attempted manslaughter, the Middle Franconia Police Presidium announced Thursday.
Ansbach Chief Prosecutor Friedrich Weitner said the passenger fired three to five shots at the SEK vehicle during the pursuit, with at least one bullet striking the police car.
"We must assume at this point that it was a live firearm because we have a bullet hole in the officers' operational vehicle," police spokesman Michael Konrad told reporters.
Police recovered a firearm from the suspects' vehicle following the arrest.
The SEK attempted to apprehend three men aged 23, 24 and 30 at an apartment in Absberg in the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district on Tuesday evening based on strong indications of illegal weapons possession.
When officers arrived, two suspects sitting in a car with Dutch license plates in front of the building fled at high speed. The pursuit stretched over 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) through multiple villages in the area around the popular Brombachsee recreational lake, with speeds exceeding 100 km/h, including through built-up areas.
The suspects displayed "rigorous escape behavior," according to police.
The pursuit ended at a roundabout near Weißenburg when the suspects' vehicle collided with an uninvolved car. Both suspects became trapped in their vehicle.
SEK officers fired a targeted shot at the rear tire of the stationary vehicle to prevent any further escape attempts. The two men were then freed from the wreckage and arrested.
Weitner said the passenger surrendered to police after being extracted from the vehicle, but the driver resisted arrest.
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Three SEK officers sustained minor injuries during the operation and received medical treatment. The two fleeing suspects were also lightly injured in the crash.
Occupants of the uninvolved vehicle struck at the roundabout were taken to hospital with minor injuries as a precautionary measure.
A third suspect, aged 30, was detained at the Absberg apartment with a head laceration during the initial raid. He was later released as there was no urgent suspicion against him regarding the chase and shooting, though investigations continue into whether he was involved in weapons possession.
Investigators are examining whether the suspects are connected to violent criminal groups, police confirmed.
The Nuremberg-Fürth Prosecutor's Office is investigating the background of the case and potential links to criminal organizations, while the Ansbach Prosecutor's Office handles charges related to the shooting and flight from police.
According to Bild newspaper, officers have linked the men to Turkish organized crime, though officials have only confirmed they are investigating potential connections to "violent groups."
Police searched for a possible fourth suspect around the Absberg apartment using a helicopter and search dogs, but the operation yielded no results.
The criminal investigation unit continued evidence collection Thursday, searching for shell casings along the lengthy pursuit route with rakes, shovels and metal detectors in snowy conditions.
"The forensics team expects to need several hours," police spokesperson Kai Schmidt said, adding that "the weather is making the operation more difficult. It has snowed again."
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