Police shoot dead man on 'suspected rampage' with excavator

German police on Tuesday said a man who stole an excavation vehicle in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg had been shot dead.

Police wrote on X of a "suspected rampage" in the Main-Tauber district, where the digger truck damaged construction company premises and a police patrol car, seriously injuring one officer.

"A man took an excavator in Grünsfeld and used it to injure people and damage numerous vehicles," police said.

In a subsequent statement, police said that a man took control of the excavator at about 1.30 p.m. local time.

He then damaged the construction company's vehicles and buildings before driving the vehicle through the industrial area, damaging several patrol cars and civilian vehicles.

Three police officers were slightly injured. Just before 2.30 p.m., the 38-year-old man's journey was finally ended when he was shot by police at a car dealership.

This article used material from German news agency DPA

Edited by: Wesley Dockery