A chaotic shootout in Berlin-Neukölln on Monday evening has investigators eyeing possible ties to clan-related crime. A man reportedly opened fire on a group of people around 8:30 p.m. on Marientaler Straße before vanishing from the scene.
Law enforcement, arriving shortly after the incident, discovered a firearm nearby at a car dealership but couldn’t apprehend the suspect despite launching an immediate search. So far, no injuries have been reported.
Intriguingly, photos from the crime scene show a familiar face—a known Berlin clan member—whose involvement is now under scrutiny. The police confirmed these details to the Berliner Zeitung as part of their ongoing investigation.
Berlin has long grappled with the issue of clan crime, a term describing offenses tied to tightly-knit, ethnically-rooted groups that are often resistant to outside scrutiny. According to the 2023 Management Report on Clan Crime by the State Criminal Police Office (LKA), such offenses have surged, with 1,063 cases documented last year—200 more than in 2022. Roughly 300 individuals are implicated in these crimes, which span a wide spectrum, including theft, drug trafficking, assault, fraud, and even murder.
One of the most shocking incidents occurred in January 2023, when 13 men stormed a bar in Berlin-Lichtenberg, opening fire on the owner and his brother. Miraculously, emergency surgery saved one victim’s life.
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) attributes clan crime to the insular nature of these groups, often characterized by patriarchal, hierarchical family structures that complicate police investigations. A lack of a nationwide standard definition for clan crime only adds to the challenge, making it harder for law enforcement to crack these cases.
With Monday’s shooting adding to the growing list of incidents, authorities face increasing pressure to address the shadowy underworld of clan-related activities in the German capital.
