61-year-old bakery owner found dead in Berlin-Wedding shop, police suspect homicide

Discovery

In the early hours of Thursday, 11 June 2026, police were called to a commercial property on Gerichtsstraße in the Wedding district of Berlin. Officers arrived to find a man's body inside a shop, described by several outlets as a bakery. The time of discovery was reported as approximately 1:15 am by Focus and 1:50 am by the Berliner Zeitung. The victim, a 61-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The circumstances do not rule out third-party involvement.

The victim

Focus, citing the BZ newspaper, identified the deceased as the 61-year-old owner of the bakery. Other media confirmed his age but did not publish his name. The Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the body bore stab wounds, though no other outlet detailed the nature of the injuries. All police statements referred only to "fatal injuries."

Investigation

The first homicide division (Mordkommission) of the Berlin police took over the case immediately. A spokesperson said the preliminary assessment points to a violent death, but refused to release further information, citing "investigative tactical reasons." The public prosecutor's office is also involved. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not disclosed a possible motive or suspect description.

Local context

Wedding, part of the Mitte borough, is a densely populated residential and commercial area in north-central Berlin. Violent crime rates in the capital are moderate by European standards, but individual homicides occasionally occur. This is the first homicide investigation in the district in 2026, according to available records. Neighbouring businesses were cordoned off while forensic teams worked at the scene. Police appealed for witnesses who may have seen unusual activity in Gerichtsstraße late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.