Two Cops Shot Dead During Traffic Stop in Germany

German police have arrested two men following a massive manhunt triggered by the shock killing of two police officers during a traffic stop in the west of the country on Monday.

Police arrested the main suspect, 38-year-old Andreas Johannes Schmitt, in Sulzbach in the German state of Saarland on Monday evening, before arresting a second man – a 32-year-old who has not been publicly identified – in the same town.

The victims, a 29-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, who was still a student at police academy, were killed after stopping a vehicle at about 4:20 am local time in the Kusel district of Rhineland-Palatinate, which is located on the French border.

According to German media reports, the pair had radioed their colleagues prior to the attack that they had spotted dead game in the boot of the car, prompting them to carry out a check.

They then sent a panicked second message – “They’re shooting” – before radio contact with the pair broke off.

The slain officers were both reportedly armed, wearing uniforms and protective vests.

Germany’s BILD reported that the female officer was found with her service pistol still in its holster, while the male officer had fired all the bullets in his weapon before he was killed.

The deaths have shocked Germany, where the killing of police officers is rare.

“This horrific act leaves us stunned,” tweeted German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann.

Sabine Kunz, chairwoman of GdP police union in Rhineland Palatinate, said police were "deeply shocked by the violent deaths of our colleagues."

“We are currently living every officer's nightmare,” she said.

In response to the killings, authorities sealed off roads in the state and advised the public not to pick up hitchhikers while hundreds of officers, using sniffer dogs and helicopters, searched for the attackers.

According to media reports, one of the suspects is known to the authorities for having been involved in a hit and run, and is believed to have a gun licence.

Prior to Schmitt’s arrest, police had released a statement naming the suspect and calling for information on his whereabouts. According to Germany’s dpa press agency, police identified Schmitt from documents found at the crime scene.