Official killed in shooting during firearms check in Bavaria, Germany

An employee of the Neumarkt district authority was killed and a second official seriously injured after shots were fired during a routine firearms inspection in Berngau, Bavaria, on Thursday, authorities said.

The two employees of the Neumarkt district office had gone to inspect a male gun owner when the shooting occurred, according to police statements cited by regional German media. Emergency calls reporting gunfire reached the Upper Palatinate police control centre at around 2 p.m.

Police later recovered one victim from outside the building. The person had suffered fatal injuries. A second district authority employee was reported to have been seriously injured.

The suspected shooter was believed to have remained inside a residential property in the centre of Berngau, a municipality in the Neumarkt district of Upper Palatinate. Police special units surrounded the house, while a large security operation was launched in and around the village.

Authorities cordoned off the town centre and urged residents within the restricted area to remain indoors and avoid the scene. Police said there was no indication that anyone was on the run, and that areas outside the cordon were not considered to be in immediate danger.

Local reporting indicated that the status and location of the seriously injured second official had not been publicly confirmed. Police did not comment on reports that the person may still have been inside the suspect’s house, citing the ongoing operation.

The incident occurred during what police described as a routine check of a firearms owner. Such inspections can include verifying whether weapons are being stored in accordance with legal requirements. The operation remained ongoing late Thursday, with specialist police units at the scene.