The incident took place around 3 p.m. in Mielnik, located in the northeastern part of Poland, in the Podlaskie region.
The soldier, originally from Przemyśl in southeastern Poland, had been stationed on the Belarusian border since December as part of the "Safe Podlasie" operation.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Polish Minister of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, announced that the man will face criminal charges and be discharged from service.
"There is no tolerance for such outlaw behavior," emphasized the politician on social media.
According to an official statement, the individual, who has been serving in the military since April 2024, will turn 25 later this year.
Serving in the 3rd Podhale Rifles Battalion, he discharged live ammunition at a civilian vehicle before fleeing into a nearby forest, but fortunately, no one was harmed. The suspect was later apprehended by fellow soldiers from the Mielnik unit.
Drunk soldier fires at car with 13-year-old inside, investigation underway
According to information from the Polish news agency PAP, the soldier may face charges of attempted murder.
RMF FM Radio reported that the intoxicated soldier emptied nearly an entire magazine of his rifle, shooting at a Volkswagen Golf driven by a father with his 13-year-old daughter. The girl managed to jump out of the car, and bullets hit the seat where she had been sitting.
Polish Radio’s Information Agency (IAR) reports that the soldier fired three magazines, or several dozen rounds, in the direction of the vehicle. The Military Police, under the supervision of the prosecutor's office, are examining the circumstances of the incident.
Investigators are waiting for the soldier to sober up before proceeding with further actions. Actions involving him are scheduled for Thursday afternoon. At the time of his arrest, the man had about two grams of alcohol per liter of blood.
Source: PAP/IAR/RMFFM/TVN24/X/@DowOperSZ
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