German police fired live rounds at their own military forces during a NATO training exercise, wounding a soldier and exposing catastrophic failures in communication that could have resulted in friendly-fire deaths on European soil.
Communication Breakdown Triggers Friendly Fire
On October 22, 2025, multiple civilian drivers reported armed men in camouflage near a road depot in Altenerding, Bavaria, around 5 p.m. The reports triggered a massive police response, including special units, unaware that Bundeswehr soldiers were conducting “Marshal Power,” a large-scale NATO defense exercise. Despite official notifications being sent to authorities, local police commanders had no knowledge of the military operation unfolding in their jurisdiction.
Polizisten, die kein richtiges Deutsch können.
Es gibt kein Land, von dem ich das je gehört habe. Kein anderes Land würde solche Menschen als Polizisten anstellen. pic.twitter.com/9PlhcTKNz3
— Ali Utlu (@AliCologne) September 6, 2025
The situation deteriorated rapidly when a Bundeswehr officer incorrectly told police the exercise would begin the following night, further heightening suspicions about the armed figures. This critical misinformation eliminated any possibility of peaceful resolution and set the stage for live gunfire between German security forces. Such communication failures represent exactly the kind of bureaucratic incompetence that undermines public safety and military readiness.
Live Fire Engagement Wounds German Soldier
Police fired warning shots upon encountering the camouflaged soldiers, who believed the gunfire was part of their realistic training scenario and responded by firing blanks. This escalated the confrontation as police interpreted the blank rounds as hostile fire and unleashed approximately 30 live rounds toward the soldiers. One Bundeswehr soldier was grazed in the face by police bullets before troops finally identified themselves, ending the dangerous standoff.
The injured soldier received hospital treatment and was released with minor injuries, though the incident could easily have resulted in multiple fatalities. Police officials later stated there was no danger to the civilian population, but this assertion rings hollow given their inability to distinguish between German soldiers and actual criminals. The near-miss demonstrates how quickly training exercises can turn deadly when proper coordination protocols fail.
On 23 October, during the "Marshal Force 2025" exercise near Altenerding, Germany, soldiers training publicly fired training rounds at police, who responded with live ammunition, injuring one soldier who is receiving non-life-threatening treatment. pic.twitter.com/1IKk8M4xd3
— Intel War Room (@IntelWarRoom) October 25, 2025
NATO Exercise Exposes Systemic Failures
The “Marshal Power” exercise involved 500 military police and hundreds of local police and firefighters simulating response to a foreign attack on NATO territory. While the Government of Upper Bavaria had forwarded official exercise notifications, these critical communications never reached operational police units responding to the scene. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the chain of communication that European nations depend on for coordinated defense.
Bavarian authorities launched investigations into the procedural failures, while military and police officials expressed shock at how close the incident came to producing fatalities. The exercise resumed with heightened safety protocols, but the damage to inter-agency trust and operational confidence cannot be easily repaired. This incident serves as a stark reminder that even well-intentioned government exercises can endanger the very forces they aim to train when bureaucratic systems fail.
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German police shot at soldiers – this is how the fatal mistake happened
German soldier wounded by police gunfire in mistaken response to military drill