German police shot and wounded an axe-wielding man in Hamburg ahead of a EURO 2024 match, authorities reported. The incident occurred several hours before the game between Poland and the Netherlands in Hamburg’s popular Reeperbahn district.

According to police, the suspect tried to attack multiple fans and officers. Police spokeswoman Sandra Levgrun explained that the man emerged from a bar wielding a pickaxe and a Molotov cocktail, and then charged at passers-by, including police officers. The officers had to use their guns to stop the attacker, who was hospitalized with gunshot wounds to his leg.

Local media identified the suspect as a 39-year-old German with mental health issues. Hamburg police stated there is no evidence connecting the attack to the UEFA EURO 2024 championship. The incident happened a few hundred meters from a fan zone where thousands of soccer fans were gathering to watch the match.