A 28-year-old Afghan national has allegedly stabbed to death a two-year-old toddler and a 41-year-old passerby after attacking a group of kindergarten children who were on an outing with their teachers in the German city of Aschaffenburg.
In addition to the two deaths, three other people including a 61-year-old man, a child, and a teacher, were reported to have sustained injuries ranging from minor to serious during the attack, which occurred in a garden park.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old suspect was arrested by police at the scene in Schoental Park, an English-style garden in the city.
Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, disclosed that the suspect deliberately attacked a kindergarten group in the park with a kitchen knife without going into full details.
“A 41-year-old passerby, a German man, and a two-year-old boy of Moroccan descent were fatally injured, while a Syrian two-year-old girl was injured,” he said.
Speaking further, the minister revealed that the suspect, who had a history of violent behavior, was undergoing psychiatric treatment.
Herrmann added that the Afghan national had his asylum process closed and was supposed to leave Germany in December but had not left and remained under treatment.
“An initial search of his accommodation in the asylum shelter did not reveal any signs of radical Islamist tendencies, but only medications consistent with his psychiatric treatment,” he noted.
This incident adds to a string of violent attacks in Germany that have raised concerns over security and migration ahead of parliamentary elections on February 23.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working to determine the motive behind the attack and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
