Hunting accident at Ruchow: Two years on probation for fatal shot

A tragic case caused a stir about a year and a half ago: During a joint hunt in Ruchow near Sternberg, a hunter shoots a hunter friend from a great distance. The court imposes two years probation and demands compensation for the widow. Two years suspended imprisonment - this is the verdict for a hunter from Lower Saxony who shot his hunter friend during a hunt in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in early 2025. The Ludwigslust District Court thus complied with the demand of the public prosecutor's office.

The defendant acted recklessly and was guilty of several breaches of duty and "did pretty much everything wrong that can be done wrong," the judge said. In early 2025, the hunter is said to have fatally hit a 48-year-old friend from a high seat with a shot to the neck. The victim sat on a high seat about 140 meters away and died on the spot. The shooter later explained that he had targeted a wild boar with a thermal imaging camera.

In the course of the trial, the defendant has already expressed his regret about the fatal incident. He was shaken and deeply regretted what had happened. The victim was therefore his best friend. According to the prosecution and his own statement, the shooter had mistaken his hunter friend for a wild boar.

His thermal imaging device only provided a highly pixelated image, actually only a bright spot, when the scope was magnified strongly. This was confirmed by experts who had testified at the trial. Convicted person should cooperate in reparations for damages Negligent killing can be punished with up to five years in prison. Before the shot, the hunter should have made sure he was aiming at wild boar, prosecutors said.

The court ordered the convicted man to pay the widow of his hunting friend 9,000 euros and to cooperate in the reparation of damages. The woman was a co-plaintiff in the process. Her lawyer had demanded imprisonment without parole for the shooter. The Ancillary Complaint cannot appeal.

The shooter's defender told the German Press Agency that he would recommend his client to accept the verdict. The defendant had voluntarily surrendered his weapons and his hunting license shortly after the incident.