2 dead, several injured in knife attack in southern Germany

BERLIN

Two people were killed and several others injured Wednesday in a knife attack at a park in southern Germany.

Police arrested a man suspect following the violent incident in Aschaffenburg, located in the southeastern state of Bavaria, with local authorities confirming that there is no longer any risk to public safety.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters that the suspect, a 28-year-old Afghan national, had a history of psychological problems and had been admitted to psychiatric treatment for violent incidents.

The victims were identified as a 2-year-old Moroccan boy and a 41-year-old German man who died while protecting a group of small children from the attacker at the park. A 2-year-old Syrian girl was among those injured, according to authorities.

Herrmann said the suspect entered Germany in late 2022 and filed for asylum in early 2023. “The suspect had been involved in at least three violent incidents in the past and received psychiatric treatment after each one,” he said.

According to the interior minister, in December of last year, the suspect voluntarily agreed to return to Afghanistan. Although his asylum procedure was terminated, he remained in Germany and apparently continued his psychiatric treatment.

“The police will investigate the background in the coming days—examining the motive and circumstances of this terrible act. Currently, evidence strongly indicates his apparent mental illness,” he said.

Herrmann added that an initial search of the suspect's room in the asylum seekers' accommodation found no links to radical religious groups or terrorist organizations.

Aschaffenburg Criminal Investigation Department has asked potential witnesses to assist in the investigation by providing any relevant information related to the violent attack.

Last November, police designated parts of the park area as a “dangerous place.” According to local media reports, this designation stemmed from robbery and assault incidents connected to drug-related activity.

-Chancellor Scholz condemns attack

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has condemned the attack and urged authorities in federal states to take necessary legal action against individuals who lack the right to remain in Germany and should be deported.

“This is an inconceivable act of terror in Aschaffenburg. Among the dead is a small child. Our sympathies are with the victims and their families,” Scholz stated.

“I am weary of witnessing such acts of violence occurring every few weeks by perpetrators who came to Germany to find protection here. A false sense of tolerance is completely inappropriate,” Scholz said.

“The authorities must thoroughly investigate why the attacker remained in Germany. Consequences must follow immediately from the findings —words alone are insufficient,” he added.

In August last year, Scholz's ruling coalition agreed on new measures to expedite deportation proceedings for rejected asylum seekers and illegal migrants. This decision came after several knife attacks where the perpetrators were predominantly individuals with rejected asylum claims or uncertain immigration status.

The Social Democratic chancellor's coalition government is under increasing pressure before next month's snap elections to address domestic security concerns and rising irregular migration. Right-wing parties have criticized the government for long-standing negligence on these issues, with some opposition politicians asserting that its policies have encouraged illegal immigration.