Extensive undertaking - Investigators seek motive in Mannheim: Police search Heppenheim apartment.
Following a knife attack at a Pax Europa gathering in Mannheim, authorities conducted a search at a residence in Heppenheim. The residence, which has been linked to the alleged assailant, has not been officially confirmed by the Stuttgart Criminal Investigation Department.
Investigators are working to unravel the details surrounding the attack, with the attention focused on the motive. A representative from the Baden-Württemberg Criminal Investigation Department said, "The most important issue at this point is determining the motive behind the attack."
The injured police officer remains in critical condition, and there have been no updates on the investigation into the attacker's motives. The officer's identity has not been disclosed.
Reports suggest the perpetrator is a 25-year-old from Herat, Afghanistan, residing in South Hesse. However, the injured police officer's condition remains critical and the department has not uncovered any information related to the attacker's motives.
On the morning of the incident, the perpetrator targeted participants in an anti-Islamic protest on Mannheim's market square, injuring six individuals, including a police officer. According to the LKA representative, with the exception of the officer, all injured individuals were participants in the demonstration, and their Pax Europa affiliation is not yet clear.
The association's treasurer, Stefanie Kizina, confirmed that board member Michael Stürzenberger had also been injured. She reported, "He was hurt in his face and his leg. He is currently undergoing surgery. There is no immediate danger to his life." Stürzenberger is a prominent figure in the group.
Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl expressed his sympathy to all affected. "Our thoughts are with those who were injured in the knife attack, with the injured police officer in particular," he said to Bild newspaper.
Within hours, a video of the incident circulated online. It features the attacker stabbing several individuals and is accompanied by bystanders demanding, "Take the knife away!" The police officer is also seen shooting the attacker. It's been established that only one shot was fired by the officer.
The attack horrified Germans across the country. Chancellor Olaf Scholz shared his reaction, "The images from Mannheim are appalling." He continued, "My thoughts are with the victims. Violence has no place in our democracy. The perpetrator must face severe consequences."
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the attack, tweeting, "I firmly condemn the act in Mannheim!" In Steinmeier's name, his spokesperson Cerstin Gammelin wrote, "In our democracy, there should be no room for violence - violence kills democracy. Freedom of expression is paramount." Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck called for a rapid resolution to the crime, "These scenes of violence were horrifying."
Mannheim's Mayor Christian Specht branded the knife attack a terrorist act and declared, "In the name of the city of Mannheim and the Mannheim community, I strongly condemn this despicable, violent terrorist attack at an anti-Islamic event."
A significant number of questions persist, such as the type of knife used, its origin, and whether the attack was premeditated or a spontaneous act. These queries are all part of the ongoing investigation at the Karlsruhe Public Prosecutor's Office, responsible for handling political crimes.
Read also:
- The Heppenheim residence, believed to be connected to the attacker, is located in Southern Hesse, a region in Germany.
- The 'Bild' newspaper reported the sympathies of Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl towards the victims of the knife attack in Mannheim.
- The 25-year-old from Herat, Afghanistan, is suspected of carrying out the knife attack, which occurred during an anti-Islamic protest in Mannheim.
- The rumors about the perpetrator's identity come from various sources, but the Stuttgart Criminal Investigation Department has yet to confirm the details.
- The CDU, a major German political party, expressed its concern over the knife attack, underscoring the importance of maintaining peace and unity in Germany.
- The Pax Europe association has been affected by the attack, with its board member, Michael Stürzenberger, among the injured.
- The police officer who was wounded during the attack is being treated in critical condition, and investigators are working tirelessly to gather more information about the incident.
- Extremism continues to be a concerning issue in Europe, with incidents like the knife attack in Mannheim serving as a stark reminder of the dangers.
- The authorities in Mannheim are working closely with law enforcement agencies in Baden-Württemberg and across Germany to ensure the safety of its citizens and to uncover the full extent of the attack.
- The fatal knife attack has sparked a large-scale operation, with experts from Pax Europe, LKA, and other organizations contributing to the investigations in Mannheim and Heppenheim.
