AXE RAMPAGE
Dramatic moment German cops shoot axeman carrying Molotov cocktail near Euros fan zone ahead of Netherlands clash
Watch the action-packed scenes where thousands of Dutch supporters are gathering to watch their match against Poland
THIS is the dramatic moment cops closed in on a crazed axeman brandishing a Molotov cocktail near a busy Euros fan zone.
Shocking footage shows the suspect with a golden pickaxe as cops draw their guns and deploy pepper spray moments before his arrest on the streets of Hamburg.
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A second video taken by a horrified passerby shows the moment police cornered the assailant before firing warning shots into the air.
Cops shot the axeman and sealed off the Reeperbahn strip, not far from where thousands of Dutch supporters were gathering to watch their match against Poland.
Some 40,000 fans were peacefully marching along the street filled with bars at around 12.30pm before the attacker's terrifying rampage.
Pictures showed a sea of football supporters dressed in orange just feet away as the chaos unfolded.
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Police say the man came out of a bar with the weapon before footage showed him wielding it at officers, Dutch outlet reports.
Witnesses claim they heard four loud bangs as several riot police officers moved in to apprehend the suspect.
Dramatic video showed cops warning him to drop his weapon but when he refuses, cops deploy pepper spray before shooting him in the leg.
Hamburg Police said the axeman was carrying an "incendiary device" as pictures from the scene show a Molotov cocktail smashed on the floor.
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Police fear he intended to set it off in the middle of the crowd of supporters, according to German news outlet Bild.
A statement from read: "There is currently a major police operation in St Pauli.
"According to initial findings, a person threatened police officers with a pickaxe and an incendiary device.
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"The officers then used their firearms.
"The attacker was injured and is currently receiving medical treatment."
Police say the attack had "no football connection" and the perpetrator was attacking alone at the time.
It comes after shots were fired during Saturday's heated Italy-Albania match, leaving a 23-year-old seriously injured.
The man was hit in his leg and arm in the Berlin district of Moabit, as cops armed with submachine guns launched an urgent manhunt for the attacker.
Six shots were fired on Rathenower Strasse, near Turmstrasse, opposite the Tiergarten district court, reports.
The 23-year-old victim, seriously injured by at least one bullet, managed to drag himself to a nearby street before collapsing.
He was rescued by an emergency doctor from the German army and received first aid by paramedics before being taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery.
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He was shot in his leg and arm but his injuries are not life-threatening.
On Friday, a crazed knifeman attacked a group of football fans at a Euros garden party before being shot dead by German cops.
The supporters were enjoying their first game against when the attacker came into their backyard just minutes after kick-off.
Germany has already deployed a huge security operation across the nation after fears of hooliganism and terrorism plague the tournament.
A robust "ring of steel" has been set up around stadiums to secure high profile Euros games made up of thousands of armed cops to shield against potential attacks.
The prolific death cult, ISIS, has hurled out repeated threats against events like the Euros, Champions League and Paris Olympics in recent months.
It has also been revealed that fans who feel “unsafe” or “threatened” during the tournament have been told to say “Panama” to police or staff to get help.
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Competition organisers in Gelsenkirchen - where England face Serbia on Sunday - sent out the message on Friday to fans.
Upon hearing the word Panama staff are meant to “immediately offer the possibility of a place to retreat”.
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