Shots fired during Italy-Albania match leaving 23-year-old seriously injured as cops with submachine guns hunt attacker
SHOTS were fired during the heated Italy-Albania match in Germany, leaving a 23-year-old seriously injured.
The man was hit in his leg and arms in the Berlin district of Moabit, as cops armed with submachine guns launched an urgent manhunt for the attacker.
Six shots were fired on Rathenower Strasse, near Turmstrasse, opposite the Tiergraten district court, Bild reports.
The 23-year-old victim, seriously injured by at least one bullet, managed to drag himself to a nearby street before collapsing.
He was rescued by an emergency doctor from the German army and received first aid by paramedics before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
He was shot in the leg and arms but hi injuries are not life-threatening.
Initial findings reveal the man was hit with a small-caliber weapon, according to Bild.
Several police patrol cars, a specialist police station and a crime scene photographer were called to the site.
Some witnesses made unconfirmed claims that the attack was sparked by a brawl between football fans during the Italy-Albania match.
It is not known yet if the victims or the suspect were spectators attending the game.
Italy had beaten Albania 2:1 in the Euros match in Dortmund on Saturday night.
It comes after German cops shot dead a knifeman who attacked a group of football fans at a Euros garden party on Friday.
The supporters were enjoying their first game against Scotland when the assailant came into their backyard just minutes after kick-off.
Officers were called to a single-family home on Genossenschaftsweg in Wolmirstedt, near Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt around 9.30pm.
Police shot the attacker at the scene after he ran towards the officers to attack them.
“Firearms were used,” a police spokesperson told Bild on Saturday morning.
“The perpetrator died in hospital.”
German police have also raised concerns over potential clashes at England’s Euro opener against Serbia.
Three Lions fans have been told to yell the code word “Panama” if they’re in danger.
Cops are bracing themselves for violence at the curtain raiser clash amid security threats from the dreaded Serbian ultra groups.
The competition organisers told fans who feel “unsafe” or “threatened” at Sunday’s powder-keg match to say “Wo geht’s nach [Which way to] Panama?” or simply “Panama”.
Any police or staff members who hear the code word have to immediately offer a “place of retreat”, The Telegraph reports.
There will also be a specialist Panama team at the games who are “a multilingual, multi-professional team trained in crisis intervention, non-violent communication and de-escalation”.
Sunday’s fixture has already been labelled the most “high risk” of the tournament.
Meanwhile, police fear 500 Serbian Ultra hooligans plan to trigger mayhem at the game in Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins Arena.
A ban on strong booze has already been enforced meaning 62,000 fans will only be served shandy or low alcohol beer.
It is also understood British police “spotters” and plain-clothed officers will also be on hand to watch England fans at every match.