German prosecution closes investigation into racist shooting of 9

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BERLIN –

German prosecutors said Thursday they closed an investigation into a racist attack in the city of Hanau last year after finding no evidence that the gunman who killed nine people with an immigrant background had accomplices.

The attacker, Tobias Rathjen, shot the victims in downtown cafes and bars on February 19, 2020, before killing his mother and then himself.

The rampage in the city near Frankfurt caused widespread shock in Germany. The attacker left behind a paranoid rant filled with plot tropes and vitriol against migrants.

Federal prosecutors said Thursday they closed an investigation against unknown people they had launched to determine if anyone else was involved or knew about the attack.

They said the investigation did not reveal any evidence that the shooter’s father was criminally involved in any way or was aware of his son’s plans prior to the attack.

The investigation also found no evidence of “the involvement of others as accomplices, instigators, assistants or confidants,” prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said they interviewed more than 400 witnesses and reviewed hundreds of evidence.

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