The District Prosecutor’s Office in Wrocław has commented on the incident involving the injury of a 60-year-old native of Slonim, whom Belarusian propaganda portrayed as the victim of an “unprovoked attack” by Polish security forces. MOST submitted an inquiry regarding the incident, which had raised many questions. Today, the outlet published a response signed by spokesperson Damian Pownuk.
According to prosecutors, on the night of May 12, officers from the Criminal Department of the police in Wałbrzych were pursuing suspects involved in the theft of Citroen and Peugeot vehicles.
“On the S8 motorway towards Oleśnica, officers noticed a vehicle matching the description. While following it, police suspected that the Citroen under surveillance was being accompanied by the driver of a BMW. Both vehicles exited to a roadside service area (MOP) near the locality of Syców, and officers decided to intervene there.
Upon entering the MOP, police activated sound and light signals and decided to check the documents of all drivers. The driver of the BMW was ordered to leave the vehicle, and when he failed to respond, he was removed from the car and handcuffed. At that point, the driver of the Citroen left the scene, running over a police officer’s foot. One of the patrol units pursued him,” prosecutors said.
At one point, another BMW arrived at the parking area. Its driver was likely connected to the other two. According to the publication, this appears to have been the vehicle at which police opened fire.
The driver of the second BMW also attempted to leave, “performing dangerous manoeuvres, abruptly reversing and directing the vehicle toward police officers.” According to the Polish side, this was when firearms were used.
The District Prosecutor’s Office in Oleśnica, which reports to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Wrocław, is conducting two preliminary investigations. One concerns the two drivers who failed to comply with police orders and drove their vehicles toward officers. One of those two men is the injured Belarusian. The third driver, who was pulled from his car, has not become a subject of the proceedings.
The second preliminary investigation concerns a possible abuse of authority by police officers.
According to the Belarusian version of events, the man sustained severe injuries to his head and limbs, and 29 bullet holes were counted in the vehicle. However, this did not prevent him from travelling from western Poland to the Belarusian border. The Belarus 1 channel reported that the man, who had been returning from Germany, was taken to a hospital in Poland, where he allegedly received treatment with serious violations and was simply discharged a few days later, and that the Belarusian may now remain disabled.
The incident, without specifying the drivers’ nationalities, was also reported by Polish broadcaster TVN. The report stated that “the driver was injured. Officers provided first aid and called an ambulance, which transported the injured driver to hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening.”
