After a dispute at a fair in Lüdenscheid, a presumably bystander dies. The police are now also using video recordings to search for the perpetrator.
It was supposed to be the start of ten days of exuberance – but the opening day of the Steinert fair in Lüdenscheid (Sauerland) ended with one dead. A 40-year-old man was shot dead near the festival site. The police are now looking for the perpetrator or perpetrators.
According to previous investigations, there was a violent argument between a 16-year-old and a group of at least six people on Saturday evening around 8:30 p.m. on the fairgrounds. 20 minutes later, the opponents met again at the main entrance of the fair near the bumper cars. The young person was accompanied by his father and wanted to confront the group.
40-year-old dies at Steinert fair in Lüdenscheid
The six men then fled across a gas station site in the direction of a residential area. “During the escape, two people fired shots from a blank gun and a live gun,” the investigators said. “Shots were fired both in the air and in the direction of the trailing 16-year-old and 52-year-old father.”
A projectile hit a 40-year-old from Gummersbach at the entrance to the fair. “He later died in hospital from his injuries,” police said. A spokesman for the Hagen public prosecutor’s office said that he was probably an uninvolved person.
The police came to the Steinert fair with a large contingent, questioned witnesses, secured evidence and searched for at least six young men – so far without success. The Hagen murder commission is now relying on secured video recordings. The perpetrators could possibly be seen on it, the spokesman continued. Contrary to media reports to the contrary, it is not yet clear whether and when a public search will be launched. A judge would have to decide in advance about the publication of the pictures anyway.
We are looking for at least six men aged between 16 and 20. According to the information, four of them were dressed in dark at the time of the crime, one wore a white T-shirt, another a gray jogging suit. All suspects are said to have dark hair.
The Bürger-Schützen-Verein Lüdenscheid, which operates the Steinert fair, reacted with shock to the crime. “As organizers, we deeply regret this incident and express our deepest sympathy to everyone involved and especially to the relatives of the deceased,” it said in a statement. “We cannot and do not want to tolerate any conflicts, especially violent ones.” For the coming days of the fair (which runs until May 29), the club announced an increase in security personnel.
The Kripo Hagen has set up the telephone number (02331) 9862060 for information on the perpetrator or perpetrators and other witness statements.
Sources: Märkischer Kreis district police authority, Steinert fair, Hagen public prosecutor’s office, DPA news agency
