A Rotterdam police officer who fired five shots at a speeding car will face prosecution for attempted manslaughter, the public prosecution department said on Friday.

The incident happened last May when the 38-year-old officer stopped a car on the city’s Strevelweg which, police thought, may have been scouting out possible locations for explosions. The car was identified by a number plate recognition system.

The officer wanted to check the IDs of the three people in the car but one of them first clutched his trousers and then drove off at high speed. The officer thought he had drawn a gun and decided to open fire. No one was injured.

The prosecution department said that the police are only allowed to fire their guns in special circumstances and if it would be appropriate to do so. This was not the case in this incident, the department said.

No date has yet been set for the trial.