This archive report was first published on 18 July 2020.
On Sunday, Yves Rausch, 31, fled into the forest after disarming four police officers in the village of Oppenau, sparking a massive search operation involving over 2,500 officers, special forces, helicopters, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging cameras.
According to Juergen Rieger, the head of the search operation, Rausch was found sitting in a bush with four guns visible in front of him, an axe in his lap, and a further gun nearby.
He was slightly injured during the arrest, as was a member of the special forces who was cut with the axe.
Uwe Gaiser, the mayor of Oppenau, expressed relief and gratitude that the situation had come to an end.
Rausch had a long history of violent behavior, including a 2010 juvenile sentence for shooting an acquaintance with a crossbow and a 2019 investigation for possession of explosives, during which police found child pornography on his mobile phone.
He had also received an eight-month suspended sentence for incitement to hatred at the age of 15 for altering a sign with anti-Semitic messages.
Rausch will be examined by a psychiatrist and a blood sample will be taken to check for any substances that may have influenced his behavior.
