- Apprehended Following Stabbing Incident in Solingen
Relating to the stabbing incident in Solingen, authorities have apprehended an individual within a refugee shelter situated in the city. Current investigations are underway to uncover any potential connections to the incident, as stated by a police spokesperson to Deutsche Presse-Agentur. No specifics regarding the suspect's identity have been disclosed yet.
Prior to this, law enforcement officers conducted a raid on the refugee shelter previously housed in Solingen's old tax office. This was done following received tips, with the ongoing police operations being the reason behind it. A special operations team was also enlisted, and the area was encircled by a substantial number of officers.
Simultaneously, a declaration of responsibility from the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group emerged. The alleged attacker was said to be an IS member and the perpetrator of the incident, resulting in three fatalities and eight severe injuries. This was carried out, allegedly, as "retaliation for Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere," as conveyed by IS spokesperson Amak. The police in Düsseldorf stated they would verify the authenticity of this claim. It was noted that IS has historically claimed responsibility for incidents without substantial proof of a genuine connection to the offender.
The prosecuting authority had not ruled out a terrorist motive behind the crime even before the detention and the proclamation of responsibility. "We haven't discovered a motive thus far, but considering the overall circumstances, we cannot disregard the initial suspicion of a terrorist motive," stated senior public prosecutor Markus Caspers at a Solingen press conference. No additional motive is currently evident. If any indications of a terrorist act emerge, the case might be transferred to the Federal Prosecutor General.
A 15-year-old individual was detained in the morning, but the police do not consider this person to be the culprit. According to eyewitness accounts, an unknown person reportedly spoke to the teenager just before the crime about intentions relevant to the crime, as mentioned by Caspers. The identity of this person remains undetermined.
During the attack at a local festival on Friday evening, three individuals lost their lives - two men, aged 67 and 56, and a woman, aged 56. Eight individuals were injured, four of them critically. The attacker seemingly selected the victims at random. He then fled the scene in the ensuing disorder and initial confusion post-crime. The Solingen police advised caution for the city's residents on Saturday.
The individual apprehended is believed to hail from the refugee shelter located within Germany's city of Solingen. The raid on the refugee shelter in Solingen's old tax office was undertaken by law enforcement due to reported tips and the ongoing operations in the area.
