German hunter sentenced for fatal mistake during hunt

hunting accident negligent homicide Mecklenburg-Vorpommern thermal imaging error Ludwigslust court

A 52-year-old hunter from Lower Saxony has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment on probation for the negligent killing of his 48-year-old friend. The verdict was delivered by the Ludwigslust District Court in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

The fatal incident occurred on January 2, 2025, near the town of Mustin. The two men were hunting from separate stands located 142 meters apart. According to court findings, the defendant used a rifle equipped with a thermal imaging device that was set to an excessively high magnification. This caused the image to appear as a single, indistinct bright spot.

Believing the spot was a wild boar, the defendant fired, striking his friend in the neck. The victim died within minutes. The court noted that the hunter failed to verify the target and did not ensure he was not shooting toward the adjacent hunting stand. In addition to the suspended sentence, the defendant was ordered to pay 9,000 euros in compensation to the victim's widow.

Entities

Amtsgericht Ludwigslust · Cloppenburg · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Mustin · Niedersachsen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] The incident occurred while the men were positioned on separate hunting stands 142 meters apart. www.ostseewelle.de · www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de
[● 2 SOURCES] The 48-year-old victim died within minutes after being struck in the neck by the shot. www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The court sentenced a 52-year-old man to two years of imprisonment on probation for negligent homicide. www.ostseewelle.de · www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de
[● 2 SOURCES] The rifle scope was set to a very high magnification, causing the thermal image to appear pixelated and indistinct. www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de
[● 4 SOURCES] The defendant mistook a bright spot on a thermal imaging device for a wild boar and fired. www.ostseewelle.de · www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de · www.mopo.de
[● 3 SOURCES] The defendant was ordered to pay 9,000 euros in compensation to the victim's widow. www.ostseewelle.de · www.dorstenerzeitung.de · www.onetz.de