Illegal activity - Mannheim stabbing incident leads to warrant for suspect's arrest
Following a stabbing incident at a Pax Europa (BPE) event in Mannheim, there's a warrant out for the 25-year-old attacker. This individual is suspected of attempted murder, according to Karlsruhe's Public Prosecutor's Office and the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police.
The man has been living in Germany since 2014 and is married with two children, most recently residing in Heppenheim, Hesse. His home was searched on Friday evening, with electronic data carriers also being seized and analyzed. Police have yet to locate him.
During Friday's morning attack in the city center, he injured several individuals, including a police officer who's now in critical condition. The officer's life is in danger, a State Criminal Police spokesperson confirmed. The suspect is currently recuperating in the hospital and unable to be questioned. His motivation remains a mystery.
Among the five male victims were a German-Kazakh and an Iraqi citizen; the remaining three are German citizens. One victim was released from the hospital, while the others are still getting medical care. The most severely injured, a 54-year-old, is now out of immediate danger.
One of the injured victims, BPE board member Michael Stürzenberger, spoke from the hospital. The 59-year-old reported several stab wounds, one in his thigh causing substantial blood loss, and an injury to his face. He was specifically targeted as a leading figure of the association, which has its headquarters in Krefeld.
A video of the incident was quickly shared online. It shows the attacker stabbing people and bystanders yelling at him to drop the knife. A police officer is seen shooting at the aggressor. As per statements by the police, only one shot was fired.
What actually happened at the attack?
A second video of the incident is now circulating on the X platform. The footage provides a different sequence of events than what was initially relayed by the investigators. In this recording, the attacker is seen being held down by two men, while a man in a blue coat starts beating one of them. The policeman then runs at the blue-coated man. This allows the attacker to break free and stab the officer.
Despite the unfolding events, the BPE intends to keep participating in public events. A stand is set for the Dortmund city center on the coming Saturday, said treasurer Stefanie Kizina to the German Press Agency. She anticipates the police will "implement more stringent security measures".
The background to the incident is still under investigation. "What is bothering us most is the question of the motive," said the State Criminal Office. No details about the perpetrator have been released yet. Numerous questions remain - like the source of the weapon - and are currently being investigated. This information will be crucial in determining if the perpetrator had been planning the attack or if it was a spontaneous action.
Minister of the Interior for Baden-Württemberg Thomas Strobl (CDU) commented on the event in Bild newspaper. "Our thoughts are with all those injured in the knife attack, including me as Interior Minister, particularly with the injured police officer." The incident has sparked disbelief and shock across the country. Bundes tag President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz both expressed their surprise.
The BPE presents itself on its website as a "human rights organization" that "clarifies the character of political Islam." The organization doesn't distinguish between Islam and Islamism and believes both exhibit "aggressive disdain and intolerance." Political scientist Stürzenberger, once the CSU's press secretary in Munich, later joined the Islam-critical party Die Freiheit, which was disbanded in 2016. Both Stürzenberger and the BPE branch in Bavaria are under observation by the Bavarian Constitutional Protection Agency.
Read also:
- The stabbing incident in Mannheim is being investigated by the LKA Baden-Württemberg, the state criminal police in Germany.
- The suspect, a 25-year-old man who has lived in Germany since 2014, is wanted for attempted murder and is currently under investigation for extremist activities.
- The public prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe has issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, and the police are working to locate him.
- The suspect is suspected of carrying out a knife attack at a Pax Europa (BPE) event, injuring several men including a police officer who is now in critical condition.
- Among the victims were men from Germany, Kazakhstan, and Iraq, and one of the victims, Michael Stürzenberger, is a board member of the BPE.
- The attack is being considered as an act of extremism, and the BPE is working to ensure the safety of its participants at future events.
- The video of the incident has gone viral online, showing the attacker being held down by bystanders before escaping and stabbing a police officer.
- Germany's interior minister Thomas Strobl has expressed his concern for the victims of the attack, particularly the injured police officer.
- The motive for the attack is still unclear, and the police are currently analyzing any electronic data carriers seized during the search of the suspect's home.
- The incident has sparked controversy in Germany, with some politicians and organizations expressing concern about the rise of extremism in the country and the need for increased security measures.
