Trial in Thurgau Argument in restaurant escalates completely - waiter shoots at guests

When you go to a restaurant, you don't expect a waiter to shoot at you. But that's exactly what happened in the canton of Thurgau in 2021. Now the waiter was on trial for multiple attempted murders.

The fight between a waiter and two bar patrons almost resembles a scene from a movie. In May 2021, during Covid, two men argued with a waiter at a restaurant in the canton of Thurgau about the obligation to wear masks. For several weeks.

But let's start from the beginning: in May 2021, two men enter a restaurant. Petar T. is a waiter in the restaurant and points out to the two visitors that masks are compulsory in this establishment. The two men do not want to comply with the request and leave the restaurant again. Weeks later, the two return.

They want to sit down at a table in the restaurant where four of their friends are already seated. The waiter intervenes and says that the two of them must sit at another table, as a maximum of four people are allowed to sit at one table. The three men start to argue. Eventually, the two visitors leave the restaurant.

Dispute over corona measures escalates

A few days later, the two men return. They want to take a seat at the back of the restaurant, but another restaurant employee tells them that this is not a good idea. Petar T. had hurled insults at the families and wives of the two men and it would be better if they left the restaurant.

The two men then confront Petar T. with the accusation that he had insulted them. T. says they can meet outside the restaurant after work at 11 p.m. and talk about the problem.

The men agree and meet the waiter outside the pub as agreed. After exchanging a few sentences, Petar T. suddenly pulls a gun out of his back, according to the indictment.

He immediately shoots at the two men and hits them.

Brutal violence outside the pub

One of the victims is first hit in the right thigh, later another shot hits his back. It pierced his liver and diaphragm. The victim suffers life-threatening injuries. The other victim is also hit in the left thigh, but escapes further injury by fleeing.

Both men try to flee while T. continues to fire at them.

According to the investigation, T. acted out of "cold-blooded selfishness": he felt insulted in his honor by the behavior and statements of the men.

After the crime, Petar T. fled abroad. He was arrested in Hungary in November 2021 on the basis of an international arrest warrant and later transferred to Switzerland. In January of this year, the waiter had to stand trial.

Petar T. is accused of multiple attempted murders.

Court hearing in full swing

The injured parties, the lawyers and the defendant meet on this Wednesday morning at the Thurgau High Court in Frauenfeld. It is chilly outside the court building. Petar T. is led into court in handcuffs by two police officers. His eyes are turned to the ground.

The two victims, both of Kosovan descent, are sitting in court. Their lawyers are seated to their left and right. The public prosecutor is also sitting on the left side of the courtroom, next to the victims. Petar T. and his defense attorney sit on the right side, facing the judge.

The accused confesses to the crime

The accused Petar T. is questioned again by the judge about the incident. As Petar T. only speaks Serbian, the judge's questions and the defendant's answers are translated. Nevertheless, those present hear how T. feels.

The judge asks the defendant whether he confesses to the crime he is accused of. T. answers: "Yes, I confess." The former waiter looks at the judge. The questioning about the course of events turns into a thriller. Because the parties don't quite agree on what happened.

Petar T. claims: "I felt threatened by the two of them and therefore fired warning shots." But the plaintiffs see it differently. They tell of a planned crime. T. had hidden the pistol in his back and shot at the two victims without warning. The public prosecutor says: "In my opinion, these are not warning shots", and turns to the judge.

After the questioning, Petar T. sits next to his lawyer again and lowers his gaze to the ground. His hands are clasped on his thighs. He remains like this for most of the trial.

An act with serious consequences

The prosecutor has her say. "The accused acted with ruthlessness and planned the crime." That is why the public prosecutor is demanding a charge of multiple attempted murder - and not manslaughter. The prosecutor continues: "The two victims had no chance. They were unarmed and were not warned that shots were about to be fired at them."

The victims' lawyer also had their say. Their arguments coincide with those of the public prosecutor. The victims still suffer from the serious consequences of the crime to this day. One man, for example, could no longer fall asleep in the dark and still has pain in his back to this day.

He could not pick up anything heavy, which hindered him in his job. He is afraid to go out on the street and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. The second victim also struggles with similar consequences.

The accused seems to suspect what is in store for him

Petar T. continues to look down. He does not even glance at the victims. During the prosecution's pleas, he occasionally snorts heavily through his nose.

The public prosecutor's office is demanding a prison sentence of 16 years and a 15-year ban from the country. The two victims are to be financially compensated.

The trial comes to a close in the afternoon. The victims and the defendant will have to wait for the verdict. The court will have to deliberate.

15 years in prison and 15 years expulsion from the country

The verdict follows around two weeks after the trial: Petar T. must serve 15 years in prison for multiple attempted murders. He is also banned from the country for 15 years and has to pay a five-figure sum in compensation to the victims.

*Name known to the editors