Berlin, August 10: A 22-year-old is under investigation after chopping off another man's hand with a machete at an outdoor recreation area in western Germany, prosecutors said Monday.

Prosecutors in Koblenz said the suspect told authorities he had been chopping firewood in a forested area west of the city on Saturday night when he witnessed a car crash. Also Read | Karnataka | Dharwad District Collector Office to be Sealed For Two Days After 5 Employees Test COVID-19 Positive: Live Breaking News Headlines & Coronavirus Updates on August 10, 2020.

According to the suspect, he ran to the car still carrying the machete to see if the driver needed help and that the driver pulled out a gun from the glove box and started firing at him, prosecutors said.

In reaction, he swung the machete at the driver, severing the 21-year-old's left hand. Minutes later, a large vehicle drove up from a nearby grilling area, and two men jumped out and punched the suspect multiple times in the face, prosecutors said the 22-year-old recounted. Also Read | Baltimore Explosion: 1 Dead, Several Critical As Houses Explode Due to Gas Blast, Say Reports.

The suspect was treated in a hospital for injuries to the face and released after being interrogated, prosecutors said. The investigation is still underway, but prosecutors said they were considering whether he acted out of self-defense.

The man whose hand was severed was treated in a hospital and reported to be in stable condition. Police determined that the weapon he fired was a starter pistol only capable of shooting blanks.

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