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Prisoner escape in Essen, Germany

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2026-10-16 13:12 UTC → 2026-10-18 09:17 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On October 14, an armed group of masked individuals ambushed two justice officials in Essen, Germany, during a medical appointment for 34-year-old prisoner Dijvar Gündüz. The attack occurred in a stairwell near a radiology practice, where the assailants overpowered the guards and tied them to a railing. One official attempted to use a service weapon, but the shot failed to fire because the weapon was not ready for immediate use. The attackers subsequently disarmed the official. Gündüz, a dangerous drug dealer serving sentences for drug trafficking and assault, escaped and remains at large. North Rhine-Westphalia Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach has called for a review of security protocols following the incident, and police have warned the public that the escapees may be armed. Investigations are focused on how the perpetrators obtained specific information regarding the medical appointment, which the detainee had only learned of the night before. During a legal committee session in Düsseldorf, officials noted that the two correctional officers still had the keys to the prisoner’s hand and foot restraints on their person at the time of the ambush. Consequently, investigators are examining whether the attackers brought their own keys to unlock the shackles. Authorities also confirmed that the officers' weapons were not permanently seized during the incident. The North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Justice has since revealed that Gündüz has an extensive criminal history, described as “significantly, also relevantly convicted” (erheblich, auch einschlägig vorbestraft). As of March 2025, he had eight entries in the Federal Central Register, including offenses involving theft, weapons, and narcotics. While the two JVA Essen employees were overpowered and restrained, they were not physically injured.

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