Rail Court Closure: Twelve Members of the Hell's Angels Charged in a Nine-Year-Old Railway Shooting Case Dismissed
In a surprising turn of events, the case involving the 2016 shootout on Eisenbahnstraße in Dresden between the motorcycle gangs Hells Angels and United Tribuns has been dismissed against twelve members of the Hells Angels. The shootout, which occurred on June 25, 2016, at the intersection of Eisenbahnstraße/Neustädter Straße in Leipzig's east, resulted in one person's death, Veysel A. (27), and left two others severely injured.
The primary reason for the dismissal was insufficient evidence to conclusively prove the individual involvement of these twelve defendants in the shootout. Despite the violent nature of the incident, the available evidence did not meet the legal standard necessary to proceed with a conviction. The court found that the prosecution could not establish beyond reasonable doubt the precise actions of the accused during the event.
The shootout was a result of rivalries between the motorcycle gangs Hells Angels and United Tribuns. The then predominantly younger and combat sports-affine United Tribuns members are said to have carried out a brutal attack on the opposing "Hells Angels" just before the fatal shooting. Seven shots were fired by the Hells Angels during the shootout.
Meanwhile, investigations related to the broader conflict and any other involved parties may still continue separately. It's worth noting that a procedure against nine United Tribuns members for attempted joint bodily harm was provisionally dismissed in early 2025 due to payment of fines.
In a related development, a major trial regarding the incident of June 25, 2016, is unlikely in the future. This follows the decision to convict Stefan S. and three other Hells Angels of joint murder and sentencing them to life imprisonment in June 2019. The decision to convict became final in 2020.
Different monetary penalties of 4,000 and 6,000 euros were set as conditions for the dismissal of the case against the twelve Hells Angels members. The Leipzig Public Prosecutor's Office applied for the discontinuation of proceedings under § 153a StPO, and the 8th Criminal Chamber of the Leipzig Regional Court granted the application, leading to the dismissal of the case.
However, it's important to note that the court's final decision on the discontinuation of proceedings is officially yet to be confirmed. A new major trial regarding the incident of June 25, 2016, may still be possible if new evidence emerges or if the court's decision is appealed.
The dismissal of charges against these twelve Hells Angels members marks a significant development in the ongoing saga of the motorcycle gang conflict in Germany. But it's crucial to remember that the legal process continues, and any further updates will be closely watched.
The dismissal of charges against the twelve Hells Angels members in the 2016 Eisenbahnstraße shootout, despite the violence and fatalities, was due to insufficient evidence for individual involvement. Meanwhile, investigations into the broader motorcycle gang conflict and other parties continue separately.
