Shots in Essen: Neighboring attack in the clan environment shakes Altendorf!

Shots in Essen: Neighboring attack in the clan environment shakes Altendorf!

On Monday evening, Altendorf in Essen became the scene of a dangerous incident that should alarm everyone. A 57-year-old man of Lebanese nationality fired targeted shots at the window of a 37-year-old Syrian neighbor in a backyard on Siemensstrasse around 7:30 p.m. Fortunately, the shots missed their target and the man was uninjured. The perpetrator then fled in a gray Mercedes E 220 CDI. According to Tixio, the police in Essen have set up a murder squad to investigate this worrying incident.

An argument between the two men that preceded the shooting suggests that personal conflicts may have played a role. The investigators are also investigating a possible clan connection of the perpetrator. Essen's Altendorf district has established itself as a stronghold for criminal clans in the past and is known for the intense clan crime that has also found its way into other parts of North Rhine-Westphalia, such as Berlin and Hamburg. Current events are again bringing the ongoing problems with clan crime to the public's attention.

Profitable business and violence

But what does this mean for the city and the safety of its citizens? Clan crime does not only affect the obvious violent games, but also affects everyday situations. The North Rhine-Westphalia state chairman of the Association of German Criminal Police Officers, Oliver Huth, emphasizes that clans are not only about serious crimes, but also smaller, secret crimes, such as fare evasion or fraud in social services. “It starts harmlessly, but has the potential to lead to protection rackets,” said Huth. This is also the reason why the authorities are under increasing pressure as they are confronted with a serious increase in crimes in this environment. In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, the numbers rose from 5,500 to 7,000 crimes in the area of ​​clan crime within three years, as Tagesschau reports.

To counteract this development, the authorities have taken various measures. Politicians are pursuing the strategy of a “policy of a thousand needle pricks,” which aims to systematically disrupt minor breaches of the law. As part of over 1,600 checks in shisha bars and betting shops, around 4,000 objects were examined and almost 700 people were taken into custody. This shows how seriously the situation is being taken and that the authorities are prepared to take active action.

Joint efforts and solutions

In addition to preventive measures, they initiated a task force that deals with organized crime. Several important proceedings have already been initiated in cooperation with tax investigators and public prosecutors. The establishment of the “Alliance against Clan Crime” in 2023 is also intended to combine the forces of the federal and state governments in order to take even more efficient action against these criminal structures. IM NRW describes the three pillars of this strategy: prevention, investigations and a sustainable perspective for those affected.

Overall, it is to be hoped that the search for the shooter from Altendorf and the increased efforts against clan crime will help to increase security in the affected neighborhoods. Witnesses who have information about the incident or who observed the fleeing vehicle are urged by police to come forward and support investigators in their important work.