Convicted of Negligent Manslaughter: Accidentally Shot Friend at Hotel in Brøndby

A 32-year-old Polish man was yesterday sentenced to six years in prison by the Glostrup District Court for negligent manslaughter of a 29-year-old acquaintance. The incident occurred on January 5, 2024, in a hotel room in Brøndby.

The convicted man was attending a social gathering with two other Polish men when, under the influence, he pulled out a pistol, removed the magazine, and pointed it around the room. During this, he pulled the trigger, and a shot was fired, hitting the 29-year-old in the chest, resulting in his death.

The third man present, aged 24, fled the scene in panic but later turned himself in to the police. The 32-year-old was subsequently wanted and later apprehended in the Netherlands. He was remanded in custody in Denmark in August this year.

The court also found him guilty of endangering the 24-year-old and of illegal possession of a firearm. Forensic examinations showed that the pistol had a malfunction and did not always operate properly.

“Although it was not his intention to harm anyone, his actions were completely reckless,” said Special Prosecutor Rasmus Kim Petersen from the Public Prosecutor’s Office at Copenhagen Western Police.

In addition to the prison sentence, the man was permanently expelled from Denmark. He has admitted to the incident, taken time to consider an appeal, and remains in custody.