Berlin - A 44-year-old man leaped to his death from a
fourth-floor balcony in Berlin in an attempt to evade arrest - only
for it to emerge later that police were in pursuit of the wrong man.
A clerical error made by an official who was checking the arrest
warrant on the computer meant that it was issued incorrectly.
The 44-year-old had just been released from prison when police told
him on Wednesday that an arrest warrant had been issued against him
for an unpaid fine of 1 500 euros (1 748 dollars).
Unable to pay the fine, the man feared another lengthy stint in jail,
police said. After telling police that he was going onto the balcony
to retrieve some clothes that had been drying, he then threw himself
over the side.
He sustained severe injuries and was taken to hospital, where he died
despite an emergency operation.
The official responsible for the error and officers who had been at
the scene of the tragedy were being looked after, police said, adding
that the incident would be subject to intensive internal
investigation.