German agent stabbed to death in attack in Mannheim – DW – 06/02/2024

The German police officer who was stabbed on Friday in the city of Mannheim (south of Frankfurt) by a man who had attacked a known anti-Islam terrorist and four other people with a knife, died this Sunday (06/02/2024). The severity of his injuries was due to information provided by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

The 29-year-old agent underwent emergency surgery and was placed in a coma before succumbing to head injuries, the unit and the Baden-Württemberg criminal investigation office said in a statement. On the day, about twenty of his colleagues paid tribute to him by removing their uniform caps during a ceremony at the site of the attack.

The motives of the alleged attacker, born in Afghanistan 25 years ago, are still unknown, although a possible Islamist ideology has been speculated The main target of the attack was Michael Stürzenberger, a well-known anti-Islamist militant from the Pax Europa group. Stürzenberger, who was preparing to intervene at an event in Mannheim’s market square, was the first to be stabbed, was injured and is hospitalized.

“Deep shock”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his condolences to the family members and asked for “maximum recognition” for the agent’s work, as he wrote on his X (Twitter) account. “I am deeply shocked to learn that the brave police officer died after being injured in the terrible attack in Mannheim,” he wrote. “My condolences are with his family,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, the alleged attacker, against whom an arrest warrant for attempted murder was issued on Saturday, has not yet been able to make any statement and remains hospitalized after being shot by another agent. The deceased police officer was attacked from behind when, amid the prevailing confusion, he was trying to stop one of the Pax Europa terrorists who mistakenly attacked another man who had gotten involved in a fight with the attacker.

dzc (EFE, AP, dpa)