- In the case from Solingen, the lethal instrument was a six-inch long knife.
Following the tragic incident in Solingen, North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) shared new insights from the investigation. On Saturday evening, during a raid on an asylum center, they found a knife holder among other items, Reul shared with the "Rheinische Post". "And the knife we discovered earlier fitting perfectly into it." The knife discovered near the crime scene had a 15-centimeter blade and was the sole weapon utilized.
The 26-year-old Syrian suspect had surrendered to the police on Saturday evening and had been residing in NRW since 2022 initially in Paderborn and then in Solingen. "However, we were unaware of him beforehand," Reul mentioned. The crime seemed to be premeditated. According to the Interior Minister, the man had concealed himself near the shelter before the attack.
On Friday evening, three people were brutally murdered, and eight others, four severely, were injured at a city festival in Solingen. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is investigating the 26-year-old for murder and suspected association with the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).
Apparently Linked Individual Arrested
As per Reul, an individual was apprehended from the asylum center on Saturday who has a connection to the suspect. "The two are acquainted. They've done numerous things together – possibly even on the day of the crime. He had information about the fugitive. He wasn't in the dark."
Reul couldn't specify in what exact manner a 15-year-old arrested on Saturday morning is associated with the suspect. "He might have known something about the crime," Reul said. Someone had overheard him discussing it well prior to the stabbing.
In response to the incident, Reul advocated for immigration restrictions. "We cannot accommodate everyone who seeks our help. We need to establish stringent immigration regulations and enforce a limit. We must search for solutions at Europe's external borders, and strengthen measures at Germany's borders," the Interior Minister stated. He also called for expedited and less complicated deportation procedures.
The individual apprehended from the asylum center has a connection to the main suspect, who is a member of the CDU's political party in North Rhine-Westphalia, as acknowledged by Interior Minister Herbert Reul. This association was established after the apprehended individual was found to have knowledge about the fugitive and was in possession of relevant information before the tragic event.
