Munich police shot a man on Thursday morning for allegedly using a firearm near the Israeli consulate and a centre that collects historical documentation related to the Nazi era (the building was, in fact, the party’s headquarters in the city). The incident, about which there is still little information, took place on the 54th anniversary of the Palestinian attack that killed 11 Israeli athletes taking part in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

The shooter was described as an 18-year-old Austrian youth (born in 2006) who was “possibly” planning to carry out a terrorist attack in that area of ​​the city where two structures are located: the Israeli Consulate General and the historic Nazi archive. According to information provided by the Minister of the Interior of the state of Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann, the authorities are convinced that the attack could have been planned to target the Israeli Consulate General which, at that time, was closed.

The suspect’s shooting death by police had already been confirmed by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, as quoted by Reuters. This was after police officially confirmed that the man had been injured as a result of the exchange of gunfire between the man and the authorities. The police officers involved in the operation were not injured.

In this southern German city, a mega police operation was organised and the central area of ​​the city between Brienner Strasse and Karolinenplatz was closed off. Moments earlier, German media reported that the suspect approached this Nazi Documentation Centre with a pistol on his shoulder. He allegedly pointed the weapon at the guards stationed in the building, and it is unclear whether he fired any shots at that point.

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, the man fired at least two shots, information that has not yet been officially confirmed. Videos posted by citizens on social media (against requests from the authorities not to do so) show the commotion caused by the shooting.

ניסיון פיגוע בגרמניה: יריות נורו לעבר הקונסוליה הישראלית במינכן געים, היורה נוטרל@DovGilHar pic.twitter.com/FQGgBTeSfE

– כאן חדשות (@kann_news) September 5, 2024

The minister confirmed the “serious incident” that occurred in Munich and assured that full priority is being given to protecting Israeli institutions in the country. There are no reports of further injuries, in a situation that was quickly deemed “static.”

The incident occurred 54 years after the attacks at the 1972 Games

It was exactly a few years ago that eight men dressed in tracksuits jumped over the fence of the Olympic Village in Munich, during the 1972 Games. They were carrying Kalashnikov machine guns and grenades in their backpacks.

The men were part of the so-called “Black September,” a group linked to the Palestine Liberation Organization. Plans included kidnapping Israeli athletes, taking them hostage and then demanding the release of 236 Palestinian prisoners — 234 who were in Israel and also two leaders of the West German Baader-Meinhof group.

The mission did not go as planned and ended with the deaths of five of the hijackers and 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. A Munich policeman was also killed.