Deaf 12-Year-Old Critically Injured in Police Shooting Incident

On November 17, 2025, a 12-year-old deaf girl was critically injured after being shot by police during an incident in the western German city of Bochum. According to the police and public prosecutor's office, the girl had been missing from a residential group for a day and was suspected to be at her mother's residence, who is also deaf.

Shortly after midnight, emergency services arrived at the apartment building. Although officers heard noises coming from the flat, the door was not opened until an hour later when the mother finally opened it. During the search, the 12-year-old girl, who was dependent on medication, approached the police officers with two knives in her hands. To ward off an imminent attack, one of the officers used a stun gun, while the other fired their service weapon, critically injuring the girl.

The police officers administered first aid until the emergency services arrived, and the girl was then taken to a nearby hospital, where she underwent surgery. As of November 17, 2025, the girl remains in critical condition, according to a police spokesman.