Munich Oktoberfest Threat: Domestic Dispute Sparks Explosives Scare and Festival Closure
Police confirm no explosives at Oktoberfest after Munich attack tied to a deadly inheritance dispute. Festival security tightened until October 5.
Munich Oktoberfest Threat: Festival Closed After Domestic Attack
The Munich Oktoberfest threat on September 23 shocked Germany when a violent family dispute escalated into arson, gunfire, and a false explosives scare that forced authorities to temporarily close the world’s largest beer festival.
Domestic Dispute Turns Deadly
At around 4:42am, a residential fire broke out on Lerchenauer Straße in northern Munich. Witnesses reported explosions, gunshots, and cars set ablaze. The perpetrator, identified as Martin P. (57, from Starnberg), shot and injured his mother, trapped his 21-year-old daughter on the first floor, and left his 90-year-old father unable to be rescued due to extreme heat.
Investigators later discovered the home had been booby-trapped with wire ropes, hand grenades, and tripwires. Martin P. fled the scene but was pursued by police. He shot himself, and officers found a backpack containing an explosive device still being defused.
Oktoberfest Letter Sparks Terror Fears
Police also recovered a letter from Martin P. containing a non-specific threat referencing Oktoberfest. While no explosives were found at the festival, the note forced security forces to shut down the event until 5:30pm.
- 25 bomb-sniffing dogs were deployed across the Oktoberfest grounds.
- Bavarian Special Forces (SEK) raided Martin P.’s Starnberg apartment at 11:52am, where more booby traps were cleared.
- Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter confirmed the festival’s reopening after police declared the area safe.
Authorities now believe the so-called Oktoberfest terror threat was not an actual plan to cause mass casualties, but rather a psychological tactic to maximize chaos while carrying out a domestic murder-suicide rooted in a family inheritance dispute.
Heightened Security Until Festival Ends
The Oktoberfest, which runs through October 5, will now operate under heightened security, including reinforced police presence, explosive detection units, and enhanced bag checks.
Both the mother and daughter survived with minor injuries and remain hospitalized. Investigations are ongoing into how Martin P. obtained grenades and explosives without permits, as he was previously unknown to police.
