• A 28-year-old police officer in Germany is facing trial for the negligent homicide of a 21-year-old man who was shot from behind during an operation in Oldenburg in April 2025.
• The victim, identified as Lorenz, was hit at least three times in the upper body, hip, and head, and died in the hospital, sparking outrage and protests across Germany against police violence and racism.
• The court believes there is sufficient suspicion of negligent homicide, but not of manslaughter or murder, as the officer mistakenly believed he was acting in self-defense when he shot the young man who was trying to flee to avoid arrest.

A police officer is to go on trial in connection with the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man in north-western Germany in 2025, a spokesman for the Oldenburg Regional Court said on Monday.

The 28-year-old officer is alleged to have shot the man from behind during an operation in Oldenburg's pedestrian zone in April 2025, on the night before Easter Sunday.

It is rare in Germany for a police officer to go on trial over a fatal shooting.

Under Germany's privacy laws the victim, a Black German citizen, can only be referred to as Lorenz.

Investigators established that Lorenz had been hit at least three times - in the upper body, hip and head. He died in hospital.

The young man's violent death caused outrage across Germany, with people taking to the streets to protest against police violence and racism. The "Justice for Lorenz" initiative considers racism to be the main cause of death.

In November, the Oldenburg Public Prosecutor's Office charged the policeman with manslaughter. The officer had assumed that Lorenz intended to attack him with a knife. The 21-year-old had used an irritant spray but was not carrying a knife, according to investigators. In fact, they say, he was trying to flee to avoid arrest when he was shot.

Based on a preliminary assessment, the Regional Court assumes that the police officer mistakenly believed he was acting in self-defence. It therefore believes there is sufficient suspicion of negligent homicide, but not of manslaughter or murder.

The court spokesman said it is not yet clear when the trial will begin.

Last year, at least 16 people lost their lives in Germany during police operations. Investigations are automatically launched in all such cases, but most proceedings against officers are dropped, with only around 2% of cases ending up in court.