- Fatal Shooting at Central Station: What Information is Available at Present?
Following last week's deadly shootings in Frankfurt's main station, investigations into the factors and reasoning behind the incident continue.
What transpired?
It's alleged that a 54-year-old individual shot a 27-year-old man in the head around 9:15 PM last Tuesday, close to track 9 in the main station. Post the younger man's fall to the ground, the accused purportedly fired two more shots into his head before discarding the weapon and evading capture. This account was provided by the public prosecutor's office.
CCTV footage reveals the suspect's calculated actions. Thanks to the timely intervention of federal police, the suspect was apprehended swiftly. Law enforcement officials thwarted his attempt to board a train and escape, according to the prosecutor's office.
What can we infer about the suspect and potential motives?
The suspect is a 54-year-old Turkish national residing in the Ortenau district of Baden-Württemberg. As per Mehmet Tanriverdi, deputy chairman of the Kurdish Community in Germany, both the suspect and the victim share Kurdish roots from Turkey near the Syrian border. Tanriverdi sourced this information from community sources. The situation could stem from a family feud or reprisal for a historical wrong in Turkey.
The Kurdish community reports that the victim had previously been implicated in a murder himself, having killed a young man on a strawberry farm in the Turkish city of Antalya in 2016. He subsequently sought refuge in Germany, fearing retribution for his actions. "The young man was reckless with social media, making himself an easy target for his enemies," Tanriverdi commented. The suspect is reportedly the uncle of the victim's previous target.
What is blood revenge?
Blood revenge is an archaic form of self-justice that persists in many nations globally. In Turkey, such instances occasionally surface and are addressed in court. Though it's an outdated practice, Tanriverdi believes it still exists in rural Kurdish areas with minimal government control, particularly with regards to land and relationship disputes. It likewise survives in parts of Albania, Kosovo, and occasionally on Crete.
How prevalent are such occurrences?
According to Britta Bannenberg, a criminology professor at Giessen University, such incidents are uncommon in Germany. They typically involve "mutual killings of men within the extended family and social circle, executed in public with firearms," she explains. The perpetrators are usually desperate to evade capture, and the family members involved are notably reticent, even in court. However, Bannenberg admits that investigators have managed to glean some insights through witness testimonies and phone surveillance: these acts are often meticulously planned, the victims are surveillance, and foreign hitmen are occasionally hired to enter and depart the nation solely for committing the crime.
Families have distinct social norms, with "controversies over shares in criminal enterprises, the standing of young men, and power demonstrations intermingling with primitive cultural perceptions" frequently intertwining, according to Bannenberg.
What would the offender have anticipated?
"Anyone carrying out such an act must have a compelling motive or be under immense pressure," stated criminal psychologist Rudolf Egg. "Anyone who carries out such a public crime assumes a significant risk of capture, which could lead to a life sentence," Egg added, having served as the director of the Wiesbaden-based Crime Research Center for an extended period. The perpetrator likely understood that escape was unlikely.
Criminologist Britta Bannenberg claimed, "Investigations are ongoing to uncover the rationale behind the act. It's plausible that additional individuals may be perceived as instigators, accomplices, or even co-perpetrators." However, from her perspective, the justice system addresses such cases less frequently than it did a few decades ago.
The Commission, in light of this incident, may need to assess and possibly adjust its regulations to better address such acts of violence. The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the rules for the application of this Regulation, focusing on increased security measures in public transportation hubs.
Considering the individual's background and potential motives, it might be beneficial for the Commission to collaborate with international organizations to share intelligence and resources, especially when dealing with transnational crimes related to family feuds or historical wrongs.
