Illegality or misbehavior - Asylum shelter's security guard was murdered; suspect detained.
At a refugee shelter close to the Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, an unfortunate incident occurred where a security guard was fatally injured during a heated altercation. The alleged culprit was apprehended close to the Zoological Gardens in Berlin.
The mayor of Potsdam was left stunned by this unexpected turn of events, which unfolded early in the morning at a municipally-run facility. The authorities investigating the case withheld crucial information about the suspect and the circumstances surrounding the brutal altercation. The fallen security guard was identified as a 33-year-old national of Syria, per the police department.
A substantial police force was deployed in the western region of the state capital as early as the morning hours. The area surrounding the refugee shelter, where around 30 inhabitants reside, was sectioned off. Simultaneously, the Berlin police undertook efforts to locate the suspect, who had been known to them by name prior to his arrest, according to officials.
A civilian employee recognised the suspect at Alexanderplatz and notified the authorities. The Federal Police promptly captured the individual at the Zoological Garden.
Warrant for murder requested
The prosecutor's office filed a petition for a homicide warrant. The suspect is expected to appear before a judge on Friday. The case was urgent, as the homicide commission yearned to interrogate the man right away.
The violent act transpired on the grounds of a municipal accommodation facility for asylum seekers in Geschwister-Scholl-Straße around 4:00 a.m. The 33-year-old security guard sustained critical injuries and later succumbed to them at the hospital. The premises, which housed a hotel called "Schlossgarten" at one time, were also being searched for the perpetrator in Sanssouci Park.
"A melancholic day for our city"
Mayor Mike Schubert (SPD) expressed shock and said, "Today is a melancholic day for our city. A person who protected asylum seekers in our city has fallen victim to a violent crime." The local government set up a crisis team to look after the shelter's occupants and the colleagues of the deceased security guard. The city has been renting the building since 2022 as a temporary residence for refugees. Currently, 30 people occupy 17 rooms in the former hotel, primarily families, the city announced.
The police began their search for the perpetrator's traces and clues as soon as the incident was reported. Officers were seen combing through a garden, looking behind plants and trees. A canine police unit was also engaged. Other officers operated behind red-white barriers.
A fire erupted at Potsdam-West's communal refugee shelter towards the end of February. The building was emptied by the police at that time.
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