According to initial findings, the 21-year-old wanted to take photos on the roof of the stadium, as he had already done in other places in Germany. He was carrying camera equipment in a rucksack for this purpose. At no time was there any danger to other people in the stadium. The Dortmund police are currently ruling out any political motivation.
Completely observed
Since the situation became known to the police in the stadium at 10.11 p.m., the police have been able to observe the 21-year-old without interruption and assess the situation at all times. He did not pose any danger. The police deployed their own forces, drones and a helicopter for continuous observation.
The man finally followed the police's instructions and returned to a walkway under the roof at 11.44 pm. Forces from a special unit arrested him there, handcuffed him and searched him. The man was not carrying any dangerous objects with him.
Climbing in Herne and Ulm
Initial investigations revealed that the man had already tried to take photos at great heights on prominent buildings in Herne in April 2022 and in Ulm in May 2024. As is now the case in Dortmund, criminal proceedings are underway. During questioning by the criminal investigation department on Sunday night, the man from Osnabrück stated that he had only wanted to take "good photos".
He was released from police custody after the initial investigations were completed. The investigation is still ongoing. The criminal police are investigating (accusation: trespassing).
Police hold talks with UEFA
The organizer of the soccer matches during EURO 2024 is UEFA. The European Football Association and the Dortmund police will follow up on this situation and investigate how the suspect was able to enter the stadium unhindered and get onto the roof. UEFA is deploying its own personnel for security in and around the stadium.
The Dortmund police are currently unable to provide any further information, including on the question of how the man was able to enter the stadium and what consequences will be drawn from the incident. The above-mentioned talks with UEFA are required for this.