Oopsie at the Airport: Karl Lauterbach's Bodyguard's Accidental Gun Discharge
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- Security guard at Lauterbach unintentionally discharges a round
In an unexpected turn of events, during Karl Lauterbach, Germany's Federal Minister of Health (SPD)'s departure from Cologne Airport in November 2024, a bodyguard's service pistol accidentally went off. The bullet hit a service limousine, according to the "Bild" newspaper.
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in Wiesbaden informed the German Press Agency that an unintentional discharge occurred while unloading a weapon into the trunk of a service vehicle. No one was harmed, thankfully.
Unexpected Consequence: Disciplinary Actions Taken
A spokesperson for the BKA remarked, "A disciplinary evaluation was carried out in 2024." No additional details were provided. The spokesperson further mentioned, "In 2024, there were two incidents of unintentional discharges at the Federal Criminal Police Office. Both cases involved weapon bearers from the Security Group department."
The Security Group of the BKA is responsible for the protection of the federal constitutional organs, including federal ministers. Aspiring bodyguards undergo a comprehensive training program. As per the Central Office of the German Criminal Police's website, a day in a bodyguard's life consists of continuous training in self-defense, shooting, team exercises, and more.
Though specific regulations for unintentional discharge incidents involving bodyguards of federal ministers in Germany aren't explicitly detailed in the provided data, general protocols typically involve:
- Immediate reporting to superiors
- An internal investigation to determine the cause and assess compliance with standards
- Legal repercussions depending on circumstances and responsibility
- Training reviews to emphasize proper firearm handling procedures
- Disciplinary action for those found culpable
- A comprehensive security review to ensure adequate measures are in place
For more clarification about Germany's regulations, consult official sources like the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) or the Federal Police (Bundespoliziei).
- Despite the incident at the Cologne Airport in November 2024, where a bodyguard's service pistol accidentally discharged, no one was harmed.
- The Commission has not yet adopted a decision on the application of Article 93 (2) of the Treaty regarding the aforementioned incident at Lauterbach's departure from Cologne Airport.
- In 2024, the Security Group department of the Federal Criminal Police Office, responsible for the protection of federal ministers, experienced two incidents of unintentional discharges, including the one at Lauterbach's airport departure.
