The fatal knife attack in Berlin and the police shots fired at the killer. On Sunday lunchtime, the public prosecutor’s office gives details of the case.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the incident happened at Kaiserdamm underground station. At around 4.30 pm, the later victim, a German (29), and the perpetrator, a Syrian (43), boarded a train on the U12 line in the direction of Warschauer Straße independently of each other.
Then the argument. ‘For reasons that are still unknown, an argument broke out between the two passengers within seconds, which led to the 43-year-old pushing and shoving each other,’ said a spokesperson.
The argument escalated to such an extent that the Syrian finally pulled a kitchen knife out of his waistband and stabbed the 29-year-old three times.
‘One of these stabs hit him – as the immediate autopsy carried out yesterday evening revealed – in the area of the sternum, injuring a ventricle, which led to the man’s death,’ the spokesperson continued.
The 29-year-old, who was seriously injured, dragged himself out of the train at Sophie-Charlotte-Platz underground station and then collapsed on the platform.
At the same time, the 43-year-old fled and ran out of the underground station towards Schloßstraße. There he was stopped by police officers, whom he also threatened with a kitchen knife.
An officer then fired several shots from his service weapon. At least three hit the killer – in the thigh, torso and neck!
Despite emergency surgery and medical care, the Syrian succumbed to his injuries at around 6.30 on Sunday morning.
As is usual in cases of fatal shootings, an investigation was opened against the officer on suspicion of manslaughter.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, there are no indications to date that the Syrian may have attacked the German on the basis of an Islamist-terrorist motive.
The fact is, however, that both men are known to the police and the judiciary. In the past, they have both had a history of assault offences, resisting and assaulting law enforcement officers and offences against the Narcotics Act.
No information is yet available on the Syrian’s status of asylum, the statement concludes.
A witness who was in the beer garden at the time of the offence saw the knife-wielding man as he fled. He told the newspaper BILD: “He was dressed in black. He held the knife in the air and brandished it He ran as if he was drugged, running in serpentine lines.”