Gun violence in Berlin: 29 suspects in custody, 126 cases ongoing
The special investigative unit "Telum" of the Berlin public prosecutor's office has taken stock after three months: 29 suspects are in custody, 126 cases are pending.
Berlin special unit "Telum" presents first assessment after three months
The investigative group "Telum" of the Berlin public prosecutor's office has drawn up an initial interim assessment after roughly three months. As reported by BILD, the specialist unit is handling a total of 126 cases related to gun violence in the capital as of the cut-off date of 27 May. In eight further cases, charges have already been filed. Currently, 29 suspects are in custody pending trial.
A first case is already being tried before the Berlin state court. Since Tuesday, four men between 21 and 26 years old have had to answer charges of dangerous assault, attempted serious robbery and coercion, and threatening behaviour. Investigators suspect protection money extortion — shots were allegedly used as a warning.
Two special units against organised gun violence
"Telum" — Latin for "weapon of attack" — was established in response to the State Criminal Police Office's special unit "Ferrum" (Latin for "iron"), which has existed since November 2025. Both units work closely together. The background to these measures is repeated crimes against Turkish-Kurdish business owners, including shots fired at their establishments by allegedly Turkish-Kurdish members of organised crime.
In mid-May, authorities dealt another blow against an alleged protection racket gang in Berlin-Kreuzberg during a major operation involving around 570 personnel. Nine men aged 23 to 63 were arrested. They are accused, among other things, of forming a criminal association. During the operation, police seized drugs, cash, a firearm, firearm components, alarm guns, two vehicles, as well as data storage devices and mobile phones.
Just on Wednesday, investigators arrested a 38-year-old in Berlin-Schöneberg. He is suspected of shooting at two brothers in Kreuzberg in March. At the end of May, four further suspects were apprehended following shots fired in the Graefekiez district.
Justice Senator: "Intimidation has no future"
Justice Senator Felor Badenberg told the German Press Agency: "The investigative successes so far confirm that we are focusing on exactly the right point. Intimidation has no future as a business model in Berlin." The CDU politician added: "Protection money extortion and shootings in Berlin are only the visible tip of a criminal system." The aim is to "permanently dismantle criminal networks".
The crime statistics underline the scale of the problem. In 2025, the Berlin police registered 1,119 cases of firearm use. In 515 cases, shots were actually fired; in the vast majority of the remaining cases, weapons were used for threats. The total number of crimes involving weapons was thus 68 per cent above the level of the previous year.
Source: BILD