Gunter Ewen

Overview

Gunter Hermann Ewen committed suicide as police stormed his Luxembourg hotel room on May 18, 1999. He was sought as a gunman suspected of killing five people in a series of shootings in Germany and France.

Timeline

• May 15, 1999 — The trail of bloodshed began in the southwest German town of Dillingen when the presumed killer walked into a discotheque around 4:30 a.m. and fired into a crowd of 20 people, killing the manager and a customer and wounding three others; he then broke into a nearby flat, killing a Frenchman and his British wife, and their 11-year-old daughter was shot in the face but survived.
• May 17, 1999 — The international manhunt included police searching caves, bunkers and abandoned houses along the French-German border; Ewen was described as having checked into a Luxembourg hotel early on Monday and as being holed up there; he was also described as having arrived at the hotel early on Monday with no baggage and wearing dirty clothes.
• May 18, 1999 — Ewen committed suicide in a Luxembourg hotel room when police stormed the hotel in Strassen; police said he shot and killed himself in the head as he was being raided, and he was found sprawled on a bed.

People

• Gunter Hermann Ewen (36) — Road worker from Beckingen, Germany; presumed gunman; fugitve; slightly injured from a car crash while fleeing police.
• Jean-Michel Civardi — Head of local police in the town in eastern France; said police raided a hotel in Strassen, Luxembourg, where Ewen was holed up and that Ewen shot and killed himself.
• Robert Fisne (37) — Killed in an apartment.
• Joey Fisne — Wife of Robert Fisne; killed in an apartment.
• Their daughter (11) — Shot in the face but survived.
• The disco manager — Killed in the discotheque shooting in Dillingen.
• A customer at the discotheque — Killed in the discotheque shooting in Dillingen.
• British woman — Killed in the series of shootings.
• A Frenchman — Killed in France after Ewen fled across the border; also killed in the nearby flat during the May 15 sequence.
• A 39-year-old Frenchman — Murdered in a house after Ewen crashed his car near Sierck-les-Bains.
• A nurse — Wounded near a retirement home in Sierck.
• A fireman — Affected in the incident near a retirement home in Sierck.
• The driver of another vehicle — Injured in the incident near a retirement home in Sierck.
• A motorist — Held up at gunpoint before Ewen hijacked a Peugeot.

Background

German prosecutors believed revenge may have been the motive for the slaying of a couple who had recently testified against Ewen in a burglary case. The husband involved in the burglary case had recently testified against Ewen in a court case involving theft charges.

Ewen was described as having been convicted of rape in Germany in 1992 and released in 1996.

The offence

Dillingen discotheque shooting

In the southwest German town of Dillingen, around 4:30 a.m., Ewen walked into a discotheque and fired into a crowd of 20 people. The shooting killed the manager and a customer and wounded three others.

Killing in a nearby flat

After the discotheque attack, Ewen broke into a nearby flat. He killed a Frenchman and his British wife. Their 11-year-old daughter was shot in the face but survived.

Car crash and theft incidents across the border

Two hours later, Ewen crashed his car near the small spa town of Sierck-les-Bains across the border in France. After the crash, he held up a motorist at gunpoint and hijacked his Peugeot. He then broke into a house and murdered a 39-year-old Frenchman.

Ewen escaped on foot after failing to start the victim’s car. Near a retirement home in Sierck, Ewen fired at and wounded a nurse and shot at another vehicle, injuring its driver, a fireman. He then hijacked another car but abandoned it about six miles further on.

Investigation and manhunt

Police in three countries — France, Germany and Luxemburg — launched an all-points search for Gunter Hermann Ewen, described as an “allegedanged killer” of five people.

Helicopters and hundreds of police officers accompanied by dogs searched caves, bunkers and abandoned houses in the area along the French-German border. Parents in the area kept their children home from school during the manhunt. Police were also described as searching the thick forests of the Moselle region.

Arrest / hotel raid and suicide

On May 18, 1999, Ewen committed suicide as police stormed his Luxembourg hotel room. Police raids took place at a hotel in Strassen, Luxembourg, where Ewen was holed up.

Jean-Michel Civardi, head of local police in a town in eastern France, said:

“Gunter Hermann Ewen shot and killed himself as police were raiding a hotel in Strassen, Luxembourg, where he was holed up.”

The hotel said he checked in Monday. Police said a hotel employee recognised Ewen after seeing his photograph in a newspaper. Police also said Ewen arrived at the hotel early on Monday with no baggage and wearing dirty clothes. He then locked himself in a room and refused to let in cleaning staff. After police raided the hotel, Ewen was found sprawled on a bed.

The international spree-killer was already slightly injured from a car crash while fleeing police.

Trial / legal history

Ewen was convicted of rape in Germany in 1992 and released in 1996.

Outcome

Ewen died by suicide when police stormed the Luxembourg hotel room on May 18, 1999.

Aftermath

Police described an international search following the killings in Germany and France. Helicopters and hundreds of police officers continued searching the area while they hunted for Ewen.

Other details

• Ewen was described as a road worker from Beckingen, Germany.
• Investigators said the couple’s murder may have been prompted by revenge.
• The discotheque incident in Dillingen was described as involving a crowd of about 20 people.
• Ewen was provisionally identified as Gunter Hermann Ewen, 36.