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North Rhine-Westphalia police investigate series of nighttime shootings
Police in North Rhine-Westphalia are investigating a surge in nighttime shootings targeting businesses, restaurants, and residential buildings. Authorities are examining whether these incidents are linked to organized crime, specifically a phenomenon described by Oliver Huth, state chairman of the Federal Association of German Criminal Investigators, as the ‘Gen-Z-Mafia’.
This group is suspected of engaging in protection racket extortion, often targeting Turkish businesspeople. The perpetrators, described as highly mobile and potentially using war weapons such as submachine guns, may carry out shootings and subsequently issue monetary demands.
In the Cologne area, police have investigated approximately 30 cases since Pentecost. Recent incidents include shots fired at a residential and commercial building in Brühl and separate occurrences in Merkenich and Rodenkirchen. Similar patterns of targeting businesses followed by threats have been reported in Bielefeld and Gütersloh, involving car rentals, jewelry stores, and shisha bars. While no injuries have been reported in these specific shooting incidents, officials noted an abstract danger to the public due to the potential for bystanders to be hit by gunfire.
Entities
Bielefeld · Bundes Deutscher Kriminalbeamte · Cologne · Federal Association of German Criminal Investigators · Kirchlengern · North Rhine-Westphalia Police · Oliver Huth · Police of Bielefeld · Police of Cologne · Police of Rhein-Erft-Kreis
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Bielefeld, shootings have previously targeted a car dealership and a jeweler. www.wz.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A residential and commercial building in Brühl was shot at during the night on a Sunday. koeln.t-online.de
- [○ 1 SOURCE] An unknown perpetrator shot multiple times at a car rental agency in Kirchlengern. www.wz.de
- [● 10 SOURCES] The Gen-Z-Mafia primarily targets Turkish businesspeople. supertipp-online.de · www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.waltroper-zeitung.de · +5 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] The shootings may be linked to protection racket extortion by a group called the ‘Gen-Z-Mafia’. supertipp-online.de · www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.waltroper-zeitung.de · +5 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Police in the Cologne area have investigated approximately 30 shooting cases since Pentecost. koeln.t-online.de
- [● 10 SOURCES] Perpetrators have used war weapons, including submachine guns, during intimidation attempts. supertipp-online.de · www.dattelner-morgenpost.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.waltroper-zeitung.de · +5 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] Police in North Rhine-Westphalia are investigating frequent nighttime shootings at businesses and homes. supertipp-online.de · koeln.t-online.de · www.wz.de