German police shoot man who threatened them with axe and a firebomb near Euro 2024 fans’ zone

Officers opened fire after the man refused to put down the axe, hitting him in the leg, German news agency dpa reported, citing Hamburg police. German media published images of a person lying in the street surrounded by paramedics and police officers.

The incident happened in the central St Pauli area of the northern port city, which was thronged with fans ahead of Sunday's match between the Netherlands and Poland. A police spokesman said there was no initial indication that the incident was related to the football game.

German authorities have put police on high alert during the tournament, which began on Friday and runs until July 14, for fear of possible fan violence and terrorist attacks.

Police cordon off an area near the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany where officers have shot and wounded a man (Pic: Steven Hutchings/dpa via AP)

Police said on Sunday that the motive for that attack is still unclear.

On Friday, police shot an Afghan man dead after he fatally attacked a compatriot and later injured three people watching the televised game between Germany and Scotland in a town in eastern Germany.