BERLIN — A tragic stabbing incident in Bavaria on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a 2-year-old boy. Additionally, three others sustained injuries during the attack. The alleged perpetrator, a former asylum-seeker who was expected to leave Germany, has been apprehended by law enforcement.
The Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, commented on the incident, emphasizing the need for authorities to investigate how the suspect remained in the country despite being scheduled for departure. He stated that the occurrence, which comes just a month prior to national elections where irregular migration is a hot topic, demands significant repercussions.
The attack unfolded shortly before noon in a park located in Aschaffenburg, a city with a population of around 72,000. According to Bavarian security chief Joachim Herrmann, the assailant used a kitchen knife to attack the young boy, who was part of a kindergarten group attending the park. Tragically, the 2-year-old boy, who was of Moroccan descent, lost his life, as did a 41-year-old German man who tried to intervene and protect the other children. Two adults and a 2-year-old girl of Syrian descent also suffered injuries and were transported to a hospital; however, their conditions are not life-threatening.
Eyewitnesses to the incident began chasing the suspect, leading to his arrest a mere 12 minutes after the attack, as reported by Herrmann. The suspect, a 28-year-old man from Afghanistan, had previously come to the attention of authorities multiple times due to violent behavior. Each time, he received psychiatric treatment before being released back into the community.
It is understood that the suspect arrived in Germany in November 2022 and lodged an asylum application in early 2023. By December 4, he expressed intentions to depart Germany voluntarily and seek a document from the Afghan consulate. Shortly thereafter, German officials officially terminated his asylum proceedings, instructing him to leave the country.
Investigative police efforts over the next few days will aim to uncover the suspect’s motivations for the attack. Herrmann mentioned that indications so far suggest a link to the suspect’s mental health issues. According to early searches of his residence at a refugee center, there were no signs of extremist Islamic beliefs; instead, police found medication consistent with his mental health treatment.
Given the sensitive nature of the attack amid impending national elections, Chancellor Scholz issued a pointed condemnation, labeling the event as “an incomprehensible act of terror.” He expressed his frustration over recurring violent incidents involving perpetrators who came seeking refuge in Germany. Scholz criticized what he termed “mistaken tolerance,” insisting that the authorities must urgently clarify why the attacker remained in Germany and implement immediate measures, though he did not specify what those actions would entail.
Following a previous violent incident in May, where an Afghan immigrant killed a police officer and injured four others, Scholz committed the government to the deportation of criminals stemming from Afghanistan and Syria. He reinforced this stance after a stabbing incident in August in Solingen, where a suspected Islamic extremist from Syria was accused of killing three people. Recently, Germany also carried out its first deportations of Afghan nationals to their country after the Taliban regained control in 2021.
