E. German Guard Shoots Colleague, Flees to West
An East German border guard said he shot another guard in the foot and locked him in an observation tower, then escaped to the West by swimming across the Elbe River on Wednesday, West German police reported.
A police spokesman said the 23-year-old soldier told interrogators he had intended only to fire a warning shot at the other guard, who was on duty with him in an observation tower on the East German side of the river.
But the refugee said the guard came toward him and attempted to prevent his escape, the spokesman reported. The guard said he then locked the wounded soldier in the tower and fled.
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