German officials probe hate speech over police killing

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say they have found nearly 400 cases of online hate speech related to last week’s killing of two police officers, a shooting apparently meant to cover up the fact the suspects had been poaching wild animals. Officials in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate said Monday that the 399 posts included 102 that were “criminally relevant,” and in 15 cases people responsible for them already have been tracked down. Last week’s early-morning fatal shooting on a rural road in western Germany shocked the country. Investigators have said two men apparently opened fire with hunting weapons after being caught with poached animals in their van. They were arrested hours after the attack.