Karl-Heinz Br. and Gerd W. tried to flee across the Sophien parish cemetery in October 1969. They had already passed the inner wall, whose signaling device failed, but were detected by guards on the watchtower at Ackerstraße as they crawled through the security strip. The border soldiers opened fire at once, firing 35 shots altogether. But the fugitives, who remained uninjured, took cover behind the antivehicle obstacles. They were arrested there after one of the fugitives tried unsuccessfully to crawl away. According to press reports, he was struck down with the butt of a rifle. The fugitives were brought to the East German police station at Brunnenstraße. Two bullets struck the post office at the Nordbahnhof station.