German officials fear anti-mask radicalization after killing

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Senior politicians in Germany have expressed shock over the weekend killing of a young gas station clerk who asked a customer to wear a face mask. They warned Tuesday against the radicalization of people who oppose the country’s pandemic restrictions. A 49-year-old German man was arrested in the fatal shooting of the clerk Saturday in the town of Idar-Oberstein. Authorities said the man told officers he acted “out of anger” after being refused service for not wearing a mask while trying to buy beer. According to police, the suspect left the gas station but returned half an hour later wearing a mask and fatally shot the 20-year-old clerk in the head.