On Wednesday morning, an Afghan man apparently attempted to stab several people at Ruhpolding railway station. As the incident took place in the early hours of the morning, schoolchildren were also involved; they fled the station and subsequently went into hiding. According to current information, no one was injured. The suspected knife attacker was arrested. The Afghan man is believed to be an asylum seeker who is known to the police.
In response to an enquiry from JUNGE FREIHEIT, a police spokesperson said that the Afghan man is currently only being investigated on suspicion of making threats. As the incident took place at the station, the Federal Police are also involved in the investigation. Footage obtained exclusively by JF shows the Afghan man lunging at passers-by with a knife drawn, making a stabbing motion towards a man’s back and chasing after the victims.
A witness told the JF that the Afghan man had already been causing a disturbance on the train, talking incoherently on the phone and causing a commotion. A female ticket inspector then asked the man to leave the carriage, whereupon he is said to have pushed her. When another conductor rushed over to help, the Afghan man is said to have finally pulled out a blade about 15 centimetres long.
The witness reported that a group of schoolchildren fled the train and sought refuge in a local bakery. Thanks to an emergency call made immediately, the police were on the scene within a few minutes. A police support centre has now been set up at the primary school’s sports hall to take witness statements and investigate who was threatened and pursued by the man.
Investigators intend to provide further details by this afternoon, the police told the JF. When asked, the police were unable to say what the man’s exact immigration status is, how long he has been living in Germany, or whether he is staying at the Ruhpolding asylum accommodation centre equipped with a swimming pool, due to the ongoing investigation.