A US citizen was seriously injured in a stabbing on a tram in the German city of Dresden shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 24, when he intervened when two men allegedly harassed female passengers, German police said.
Newsweek reported that Sunday’s stabbing incident came at a time when concerns about violent crimes involving knives and public safety have increased in Germany. In 2024, after two stabbing attacks on migrants, Germany took stricter measures at its borders.
What To Know
During the confrontation on tram line 7 near the Goldener Reiter stop in Dresden’s city center, one of the suspects attacked the 21-year-old American with a knife, causing him multiple injuries to the face, German daily Bild reported, citing a police spokesman.
Two men began harassing female passengers inside the tram, and when an American passenger tried to intervene, they assaulted her, Dresden police said.
A suspected Syrian national has been identified, who fled on an electric scooter and was arrested about half a mile from the scene. He was temporarily detained but later released at the decision of the public prosecutor’s office, police spokesman Thomas Geithner told Bild.
Authorities did not clarify the reason for releasing the 21-year-old suspect, but the man has a past criminal record, including crimes such as grievous bodily harm and robbery, according to Bild.
The other suspect, believed to be responsible for the stabbing, is still at large. The weapon has not yet been recovered. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from the tram and gathering witness statements from other passengers.
According to Bild, the injured American citizen was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where he is receiving treatment. However, authorities have confirmed that his injuries, while serious, are not life-threatening.
Dresden authorities are continuing to investigate the stabbing incident and are searching for a second attacker.
Also Read: Gunman Kills Four in Manhattan, Including Bangladeshi Immigrant Police Officer