Young Afro-German fatally shot by police sparks outcry and demands for justice

On Easter Sunday, a 21-year-old Black man named Lorenz was fatally shot by a police officer in Oldenburg, northwest Germany. The killing has triggered widespread outrage, especially within the Black community, and renewed concerns about systemic racial bias and the disproportionate use of lethal force by German police against people of African descent.

What Happened?

According to police reports, Lorenz was denied entry to a nightclub on Mottenstraße in Oldenburg, reportedly because he was wearing a tracksuit. In response, he allegedly used pepper spray on the club’s security staff, causing minor injuries to several individuals.

He then fled the scene, pursued by bystanders. Police claim Lorenz brandished a knife during the chase, causing the bystanders to stop. Shortly afterward, officers confronted him on a nearby residential street.

Authorities allege that Lorenz again used the spray, this time against officers. A 27-year-old police officer responded by firing multiple shots. An autopsy revealed that Lorenz was hit four times, with three bullets striking him from behind. He later died in hospital from his injuries.

The presence of a knife at the scene has not been conclusively verified — a detail that has fuelled community skepticism and calls for independent investigation.

Public Outrage and Demands for Investigation

The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, particularly among Black communities and anti-racism advocates, who are demanding a transparent and thorough investigation.

Community members and friends of Lorenz have expressed deep skepticism about the police narrative. They question whether the use of deadly force was necessary and proportionate — especially given that three of the shots struck him from behind and that his alleged possession of a knife has yet to be confirmed.

In response to public pressure, the officer involved has been suspended, and an investigation has been launched by an external police department to ensure impartiality. Authorities have promised a full examination of the events that led to Lorenz’s death.

Pattern of Disproportionate Violence?

Lorenz’s death has reignited debate about the pattern of police violence against Black individuals in Germany. Activists argue that law enforcement often demonstrates a lower threshold for using lethal force when confronting Black people or people from other minority communities.

Lorenz’s death is the latest in a disturbing series of similar cases:

• On 30 March 2024, Lamin Touray, a 27-year-old Gambian, was shot and killed during a police operation in Nienburg. Touray, who was reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis, was shot eight times, with two bullets — to the heart and liver — proving fatal. Police claimed he had threatened officers with a knife. The prosecutor’s office said the shooting was in line with the Lower Saxony Police Act, which allows lethal force to avert life-threatening danger.

• In August 2022, Mohamed Lamin Dramé, a 16-year-old Senegalese refugee, was fatally shot by police in Dortmund. Dramé, in the midst of a mental health crisis, was reportedly holding a kitchen knife to his own stomach, suggesting suicidal intent. A social worker called police to intervene, rather than mental health professionals. According to official accounts, police attempted to subdue him with pepper spray and tasers. When these failed and Dramé moved towards them, an officer fired six shots with a submachine gun, five of which struck the teenager. Dramé died at the scene. Although five officers were charged, they were acquitted by the Dortmund Regional Court.

These and similar incidents have become a symbol of the disproportionate violence faced by people of African descent in Germany.

Voices from the Black Community

Activist groups and community leaders have strongly condemned Lorenz’s killing.

“Again and again, Black lives are treated as threats rather than as human beings in need of help,” said one activist, who preferred to remain anonymous.

The Association of Elected Officials of African Descent (Vereinigung Mandatsträgerinnen Afrikanischer Abstammung, VMA) stated:

“Especially for many Afro-diasporic communities, such incidents are deeply unsettling. They undermine trust in state institutions and the promise of equal rights for all. This trust can only be restored through transparency, accountability and genuine change.”

“The death of Lorenz must be viewed in the context of the Second UN Decade for People of African Descent, which was proclaimed again because Black people around the world still do not enjoy the same protection as others. This reality is also reflected in Germany — in interactions with authorities, on the streets and in everyday life. We must ask structural questions,” the VMA said in the press statement.

“We stand in solidarity with all those who advocate for justice, human dignity, and a respectful, safe coexistence — regardless of skin color, origin, or social status.”

Justice for Lorenz

As investigations continue, Lorenz’s community — family, friends and supporters — demand justice and accountability. They describe him as a kind and helpful young man, a passionate football fan and someone who was not violent or dangerous.

The lawyer representing Lorenz’s mother is calling for the public prosecutor’s office to quickly secure all evidence. “Street cameras must be reviewed, and the mobile phones of the officers involved must be examined. It must be ensured that all radio communication before, during, and after the operation is fully and comprehensively documented,” Thomas Feltes told the German Press Agency (dpa). Investigators must prevent the deletion of evidence such as chat histories or mobile phone recordings, he demands.

The coalition “Justice for Lorenz” has called for a protest in Oldenburg on Friday, 25 April 2025, demanding full transparency. The shooting of the young Black man may have had a racist motive, fears the group. “The case must be thoroughly investigated and lead to consequences.” it stated on Instagram.

Femi Awoniyi