Agency Report –
Würzburg, Germany – The mayor of Aschaffenburg has warned of a “spiral of violence and hatred” following the deadly stabbing in the southern German city.
At a wreath-laying ceremony on Thursday, Jürgen Herzing said there were “parallels” to December’s car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg, in which six people were killed.
“A refugee attacks, injures and kills innocent people,” Herzing said. “We can see the parallels.”
The suspect in Wednesday’s attack is a 28-year-old Afghan asylum seeker believed to have had a history of mental health illnesses.
“We can and must never attribute the act of one individual to an entire population group,” Herzing said, even if residents experience anger, grief and “thoughts of revenge.”
The mayor said he was “shaken up” by the stabbing.
“I feel as if my own child had died – or my brother had died or been injured,” said Herzing. “I think it’s the same for many others.”
A funeral service is to be held in Aschaffenburg on Sunday, the mayor confirmed.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman also confirmed on Thursday that the three people seriously injured in the incident are still in hospital but all are “out of danger.”
According to Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach, a 2-year-old girl was stabbed three times in the neck area with a kitchen knife, while a 72-year-old man suffered multiple injuries to his chest and a 59-year-old nursery teacher broke her arm.
Police are relying on witnesses to clarify the course of events, including whether the suspect specifically attacked children from a day-care centre group.
Around 10 witness statements have already been received.
“There are all sorts of things. This now needs to be analysed,” said the police spokesman.
