Man kills woman with axe before being shot by Berlin police

Police in Berlin say they shot dead a man on Sunday after he used an axe to kill a woman, reported dpa.

The man had struck the woman, who was lying on the ground, with the axe as police were arriving at the scene early Sunday morning in the city's eastern district of Lichtenberg, police spokesperson Martin Dams said.

The police officers then opened fire on the man, fatally injuring him. The woman also succumbed to her injuries at the scene, the officials said.

The police could not give any information about the identity of the victim or perpetrator. A homicide squad is now investigating the incident, which took place on Sunday morning shortly before 8 am.