A 34-year-old prisoner escaped during a medical visit in Essen, Germany, after two masked men overpowered two prison guards. The guards were tied up, and one guard's service weapon was reportedly knocked from his hand. The prisoner fled on an electric scooter, while the two men left separately.

The man had been in custody on suspicion of drug offences and aggravated assault. Police launched a major search for the three men, released a photograph of the escaped prisoner and warned the public not to approach him because he may be armed. A suspicious object found near the medical practice was examined and found to be a wooden fake hand grenade; it remains unclear whether it was connected to the escape.