Berlin under fire: Police step up fight against gun violence!

Berlin under fire: Police step up fight against gun violence!

On October 31, 2025, Berlin observed a worrying increase in violent confrontations involving firearms. The police have already responded seven times this month because of shots or threats of shooting, as [rbb24] reports. Organized crime gangs in particular are increasingly carrying out their conflicts on the streets of the capital. This development is forcing the security authorities to take decisive action.

Police Commissioner Barbara Slowik Meisel has announced that the police are fighting this form of crime with “full strength and determination”. In order to defuse the situation, operational and investigative measures were significantly expanded. Up to 100 specially trained personnel are deployed to carry out targeted investigations and arrest perpetrators. This year, by October 24th, the police had registered 884 incidents involving weapons, including 406 where shots were actually fired.

Consequences and measures

The numbers are alarming: According to current police statistics, 179 people were injured, including 31 seriously injured people and one death. Parts of the population are not completely comfortable with the fact that armed incidents also take place during the day, such as on October 30th and 22nd. The police chief and interior senator Iris Spranger describe the situation as crossing a red line when it comes to the safety of people in Berlin.

Armed conflict, which is often ancillary to other crimes, such as drug-related crime, is a growing problem. Authorities plan to develop legal changes to crack down on illegal gun possession. The focus is on reducing the availability of such weapons, supported by gun and knife ban zones.

Social impact

The BKA gun crime report 2024 makes it clear that Berlin is one of the cities with the most firearm cases. In the capital, the incidence rate is 9.9 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Saarland with 8.8 and Hamburg with 8.3. These frightening statistics require quick and consistent action, as the police union (GdP) under its state chairman Stefan Weh emphasizes.

The authorities are aware of the need to break through the structures and actors of organized crime. In addition to the current investigations, the security forces are faced with the challenge of discovering and dismantling an extensive network of criminals. With targeted measures, they are trying to reduce violence on Berlin's streets and restore citizens' trust in public safety.

The call for cooperation with society is particularly urgent, as the entire city society is called upon to take joint action against this violence. The police will continue to do everything in their power to protect Berlin's citizens and raise awareness of the dangers of such confrontations, while at the same time developing innovative strategies to combat gun crime.