1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
In focus
Israel and the crisis in the Middle EastTrump inaugurationGerman election 2025
Latest audioLatest videos
Live TV

One injured in Cologne ax and shooting attack

Kate BradyAugust 15, 2016

Two suspects are on the run following an armed attack in the western German city of Cologne, local media report. One man suffered a stab wound in the incident.

https://p.dw.com/p/1JiIF
cologne skyline
Image: AP

The Cologne edition of German newspaper "Express" reported on Monday that police received several reports of the attacks earlier that morning.

The incident took place at around 4 a.m. local time (0200 UTC) close to Rudolfplatz, a busy square in Cologne's city center.

Köln Schießerei Untersuchung Polizei
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker

Eyewitnesses reported seeing three or four men quarrelling with another, before the men set upon each other with axes.

One man who sustained a stab wound to his thigh attempted to flee the scene in his car, but the other men shot at him, however, they only hit the vehicle. The man was stopped by police shortly after and taken to hospital, the "Kölner Stadt Anzeiger" reported.

Two other suspects were also detained, whilst two more are believed to still be on the run.

The motive for the attack was not immediately clear.