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Police shooting

August 5, 2009

Austrian police have launched a probe into the police shooting of two adolescents who reportedly broke into a supermarket. One of the youths died of his wounds.

https://p.dw.com/p/J48k
A revolver
Investigators are yet to determine exactly how many shots were firedImage: AP

A 14-year-old Austrian youth died after being shot by police, while his 16-year-old accomplice was seriously injured after they broke into a supermarket in the city of Krems in the northeast of the country, police said Wednesday.

Lower Austria's police chief Roland Scherscher told a news conference that the shooting occurred after two police officers were called to the town's Merkur supermarket after 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

Later, as the officers were searching the “completely darkened” premises, they came into "sudden contact" with the suspects and shots were fired, Scherscher added.

The 14-year-old was shot in the chest and died around an hour later in a hospital in Krems, while his friend sustained bullets in the leg and is being treated.

Both police officers used their guns, but investigators have yet to determine exactly how many shots were fired, Scherscher said.

According to Austria's ORF public television, the youths were armed with a screwdriver and a garden tool.

State prosecutor Friedrich Kutschera said that the adolescents were both "known to the police" and were residents of Krems.

The prosecution has launched an investigation into the incident and has ordered an autopsy of the dead youth.

rb/AFP/Reuters

Editor: Susan Houlton