Netizens on Sunday heavily criticized German police for killing Ertekin Ozkan, 49, at close range, saying in social media posts that the officers should have injured him rather than fatally shooting him.

On Saturday evening, police in the southern German city of Mannheim killed Ozkan after claiming that he was holding a knife and threatening officers to attack.

Following the fatal shooting, the German police method of neutralization was heavily criticized on social media.

Reacting to several videos posted on social media showing the shooting of Ozkan while he was 3-4 meters away from the police team, social media users stressed that police should have attempted to injure him rather than fatally shooting him.

The Turkish Consul General in Karlsruhe, Mahmut Niyazi Sezgin, paid a visit to Ozkans family to express his condolences.

He was also debriefed by the local police on the tragic incident.

Police in Mannheim killed Ozkan on Saturday evening after claiming that he was holding a knife and threatening officers.

The local prosecutor and police department later released a joint statement in which they claimed Ozkan had called the police and confessed to committing a crime.

When police officers arrived on the scene, they found the person holding a knife, the statement said, adding that he threatened the officers and consequently, the police team had to use their firearms.

The 49-year-old was injured by the shots and was taken to a hospital under immediate resuscitation measures, where he later died, it added. (Anadolu Agency)