Man arrested in German town with sword, starter pistol

BERLIN – German police say they have arrested a man who caused a short-lived scare in the southwestern town of Gruenstadt as he walked through a pedestrian zone with a samurai sword and a starter pistol.

After several calls from concerned passers-by, police said responding officers heard a shot Saturday afternoon and spotted the heavily intoxicated man in the pedestrian zone of the town southwest of Frankfurt, the dpa news agency reported.

They say the 50-year-old man lay down the sword and starter pistol and gave himself up only after officers fired a warning shot.

Further details weren’t immediately available but police say they do not have any indication of a political motivation.