Lawyers challenge decision to drop inquiry into police shooting of soldier

Prosecutors have ended preliminary inquiries into the shooting of a soldier during a Bundeswehr exercise in Erding, prompting the soldier’s lawyers to announce a complaint against the decision, BR reported.

The Landshut Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office said their review of the events during the “Marshal Power” exercise found no grounds to accuse anyone from either the Bundeswehr or the police of criminal conduct. Prosecutors also declined to act on a criminal complaint filed against officers involved in the operation.

The incident happened on the evening of Oct. 22, 2025, during a large-scale military exercise. Witnesses mistook an armed Bundeswehr member for a threat and called police. Shots were fired, and a soldier was hit.

The injured soldier’s lawyers strongly criticised the decision. Lawyer Alexander Stevens said his client had suffered permanent disfigurement. The lawyers said police had been informed in advance about the exercise, but that crucial information apparently did not reach all officers responding at the scene. They argued that responsibility for the communication breakdown should be investigated.

The lawyers said three officers fired their weapons, but that it remained unclear which one fired the shot that hit the soldier. They said the decision not to open a full investigation sent a damaging signal, while stressing that police officers are presumed innocent.

Investigators said the situation was confusing for both the officers and the soldiers. Police believed an attack was imminent, while the soldiers thought they were taking part in an exercise scenario involving outside forces. One soldier opened fire on officers believing he was using blank ammunition. The officers, unaware that blanks had been fired, believed they were under attack and returned fire with live ammunition. The soldier was grazed in the face.