“Shoot! Shoot!” – Man killed for slapping

In the trial over the fatal shooting of a 31-year-old after a slap in the face, the district court in Kiel sentenced a 24-year-old to twelve years in prison on Thursday. Unlike the prosecutor and the co-plaintiff, the jury did not judge the act as murder, but as manslaughter. The chamber did not see the characteristics of malice and base motives necessary for a conviction for murder, said the presiding judge Stephan Becker.

The motive for the crime was revenge for a slap that the victim had given the younger brother of the accused hours earlier. The 31-year-old was not unsuspecting and defenseless when the accused approached him. In the case of the previous history, at least a considerable dispute was to be expected.

Judgment in Kiel: the court referred to the victim’s complicity

In its verdict, the court referred to the victim’s complicity. The 31-year-old may have given the impulse to shoot himself through his behavior, said Becker. Before the deadly shots he told the accused “Do it! Just do it! Shoot it! Shoot!” he shouted when he stood about a meter in front of him with a gun in his hand.

He also described the accused as a coward and a weakling, “that triggered the shot,” said the judge. The request was of course not meant seriously, said the judge, but that’s not the point either. It can be assumed in the defendant’s favour, that it was only at that moment that he had the intention to kill.

You might also be interested in: Angry customer after theft of millions: “Haspa owes me 110,000 euros”

The victim was hit by at least four shots at close range on June 27, 2022 in Kiel-Gaarden. Two penetrated the chest and were fatal.

Process: Prosecutor and parents are now considering appeals

The public prosecutor and the parents, as joint plaintiffs, had pleaded murder and therefore demanded a life sentence. They are now considering appeals, they said after the verdict. The father was visibly disappointed by the judge’s verdict. The defendant accepted the verdict in an outwardly composed manner. He followed the pronouncement of the verdict with his hands folded and his face turned towards the court. His defense attorney had pleaded manslaughter with a spontaneous decision and asked for a light sentence.

The 24-year-old had confessed to the crime and also showed remorse. He claims to have been threatened by the 31-year-old before shooting the man from about a meter. The court did not believe him. There was no indication that the victim was armed, the chairman said.

You might also be interested in: Osterburg trial: “You never knew when it would fly off the hook”

In fact, both the victim and the accused were accompanied by friends. These piled up immediately when the first shot was fired, the judge said. The accused also fled. He was arrested in Gelsenkirchen in mid-July. (dpa)