Crime - Acid attack in Bochum café: 43-year-old under suspicion
After a acid attack in the outdoor area of a Cafe in Bochum, an investigation is being conducted against a 43-year-old German man for attempted manslaughter. The suspect is supposed to be presented to a judge today, a police spokesperson said.
A total of up to 14 people could have been injured in the incident. The attack is believed to have targeted a Bochum guest of the Cafe who was sitting at a table in the outdoor area and received most of the acid and was severely injured.
A woman sitting at the same table and a waitress were also injured. Two other guests, who were witnesses to the incident, suffered shocks. During the treatment of the injured, police officers and firefighters also came into contact with the acid and were injured. The number of injured emergency personnel was initially unclear and ranged between six and nine.
The guests had been drinking coffee and eating cake "completely relaxed" just before the attack, a police spokesperson reported. The suspect could be arrested shortly after the attack in the vicinity. A murder commission searched his apartment in Bergkamen, about 32 kilometers (air line) away, during the night on Monday. The motive and background of the attack were still unknown to the investigators.
The crime scene was cordoned off, investigators secured traces. It was initially unclear which corrosive substance was used. Corresponding investigations should clarify this.
The incident of the acid attack in Bochum's Cafe was not an isolated crime, as North Rhine-Westphalia has seen an increase in such attacks recently. Despite the severe injuries, thankfully, no one lost their life due to the attack, preventing it from escalating to manslaughter. The attack has highlighted the need for stricter regulations and enhanced security measures in outdoor cafes across the region to protect patrons from such violent crimes.
