Murder trial - Mitschueler shot - 16-year-old sentenced for murder
In the process of the fatal shootings of a 15-year-old in an Offenburg school class, the Juvenile Court sentenced the defendant to eight years and nine months of juvenile detention. The Juvenile Chamber found the 16-year-old guilty of Murder and attempted serious arson in the closed session, as the court in Offenburg announced.
The Chamber considered it proven that the teenager came to school on November 9, 2023, with a pistol, ammunition, and a self-made incendiary device and shot his classmate there. The victim was reportedly unarmed and defenseless - the defendant had therefore acted treacherously. The defendant had also attempted to ignite the incendiary device to burn down the school building.
41 rounds of ammunition were present
The violent death of the student in the special educational Waldbachschool caused mourning and shock beyond the regional level. The defendant, a German, had reportedly had 41 rounds of ammunition with him. The weapon used for the crime came from the household of his parents.
A father, who was at the school during the attack for a parents' meeting, overpowered the attacker and prevented further harm. Sabah Tamer Ayoub was later honored for his heroic actions.
No clear motive
As the highest sentence in this case, according to earlier statements by the prosecution, threatened ten years. In Germany, juveniles are criminally responsible from the age of 14. Juvenile detention is a specifically regulated form of imprisonment for juveniles and young adults.
No clear motive for the violent act was revealed after the verdict - there were rumors of jealousy in circles after the incident.
The juvenile court proceedings have been ongoing since mid-April, including the verdict announcement, there were twelve trial days, according to a court spokeswoman. Visitors and media representatives were excluded from the proceedings due to juvenile protection during the entire duration. The juvenile was reportedly in pre-trial detention beforehand.
The murder trial took place in the court of Offenburg, located in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The defendant, a German national, was charged with murder and attempted serious arson during a school class, resulting in the juvenile court delivering a sentence of eight years and nine months of juvenile detention. Despite the severe charges, no clear motive for the criminality was unveiled following the judgments.
