- A 27-year-old individual gets fired upon at Frankfurt's main railway hub.
In the core of Frankfurt's Main Station, a 27-year-old individual met their end due to gunfire around 9:00 PM on Tuesday. The presumed shooter, aged 54, was nabbed shortly thereafter by federal authorities at platform 7. Both suspected parties hail from Turkey, as per police and Frankfurt prosecutors. The fatality occurred instantaneously on the scene, and the motive and circumstances are currently under scrutiny.
As revealed by the latest updates, the 27-year-old was stationed on platform 9 when the suspected assailant slipped up behind him, discharging multiple rounds from his pistol before scramming. The 54-year-old was detained nearby at platform 7 without resistance by the federal police. The station was put on hold for approximately 25 minutes, affecting both trains and passengers, due to the law enforcement intervention.
Following the chaos, the vicinity of platform 9 was sectioned off with red and white tape. The overall atmosphere was uneasy among the passengers, who appeared bewildered. An onlooker narrated the incident to a dpa reporter, stating that the shooter fired a series of rounds directly at the victim. The victim's body was afterward transferred in a vehicle. During the investigation, the suspected firearm was found in the collection of evidence. The 54-year-old is anticipated to confront a judge on Wednesday, to determine their confinement.
A day after the ordeal, the Main Station resumed its normal pace. Tourists and locals hurried past with their luggage, as the summer holidays in Hesse were coming to a close this week. Many were oblivious to the incident.
"The station has gone downhill"
"It's unsettling that something like this can occur in the heart of the station," voiced out a Frankfurt student on her voyage to Munich. The area around the station is also notorious for its reputation. "The station has gone downhill," asserted a man who's worked at a bakery stand near platform 9 for over two decades. A woman from Gießen displayed a more composed demeanor. "You can't let fear consume you, or you'll be petrified everywhere," she told. "You can also be menaced on the streets." She also believes that the two individuals were likely acquainted.
In June, a weapon ban was enforced between 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM, forbidding guns and knives with blades longer than four centimeters in the Main Station. Previously, a blanket weapon ban had already been imposed in the station area, which is rife with drug scenes and a hotspot for crime. According to federal police, instances of violent crimes with weapons in the station have more than doubled since the pandemic years: rising from 80 in 2019 to 176 in 2022.
Frankfurt Main Station, constructed on August 18, 1888, now stands as one of Germany's marquee transportation hubs, servicing around half a million passengers and visitors daily, and over a thousand trains.
After the shooting incident, the federal police intensified their presence around the station, aiming to ensure public safety. The suspected gunman, apprehended by the federal police, will face charges in court for his actions.
