DORTMUND, Germany - Three police officers were killed and another seriously injured when a driver stopped initially for not wearing a seatbelt opened fire from his car Wednesday in the western city of Dortmund, police said.
The man was found hours later in a wooded area with a gunshot wound to his head, having apparently tried to commit suicide. He died a short time later.
Dortmund prosecutor Heiko Artkaemper said it seemed the man had been afraid of being caught driving without a license.
The drama began Wednesday morning, when two officers stopped a black BMW after noticing the driver was not buckled in.
Police said the man opened fire without warning, killing a 36-year-old officer and seriously wounding his partner.
The man sped off, but was stopped about 12 miles away by another police control point and again opened fire. Two officers were shot in the head and killed.
While a statewide search was underway for the car, a passer-by noticed it parked in a wooded area and called police.