Two people were killed on Wednesday. in a knife attack on passengers of the regional express train from Kiel to Hamburg. Currently, the identities of the dead and the nationality of the alleged criminal are being established. On Wednesday night, the police in the city of Itzeho announced that three more people were seriously injured and four suffered minor injuries.

According to information, a man attacked passengers with a knife around 15:00 before arriving at Brokstedt station (Steinburg district). The investigation by the criminal police in cooperation with the Itzeho prosecutor’s office is ongoing. As of Wednesday evening, the identities of the dead and wounded are unknown.

Two young people died

A 16-year-old girl and her 19-year-old boyfriend were killed in a knife attack, according to Interior Minister Sabina Sütterlin-Waak. The minister provided an update on the current state of the investigation on Thursday afternoon along with Itzeho Police Chief Frank Matthiessen.

According to him, the police detained a 33-year-old man.

As a result of the attack, the attacker was also injured, who is currently in the hospital and will be interviewed in the near future. Emergency responders provided information that helped apprehend him.

A stateless Palestinian has been released from prison

According to Schleswig-Holstein Interior Minister Sabina Sütterlin-Wack (CDU), the man is a stateless Palestinian who was imprisoned a few days ago and released after serving his sentence.

As the NDR TV channel learned from investigative circles, the man came to Germany from Gaza about eight years ago. Since then, he has been repeatedly accused and condemned, but not for politically motivated actions.

“We cannot say anything about the motive of the crime yet, we are in the process of obtaining an overview of the entire area of ​​the operation,” said Astrid Heydorn, a spokeswoman for the Itzeho Police Inspectorate at the scene. “We received an emergency call at 2.55pm – there were several 911 calls from passengers as this man attacked passengers with a sharp object.” According to the police, there were about 120 passengers on board.

“It’s terrible,” Interior Minister Sutterlin-Wack said Wednesday afternoon, when she first commented on the killing at the scene. “We are very shocked and horrified that this has happened.” State police, federal police and prosecutors are investigating. She thanked the police, who arrested the attacker, and all the rescuers who helped the victims. “It is clear to me that this horrible act is directed against all of humanity,” Sutterlin-Wack said.

The Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Gunter, also commented on the act. “I received this news with deep sadness and horror – this senseless act that cost the lives of two people and injured many others,” said the CDU politician. “My thoughts and prayers are with their families at this truly difficult time.”

The earth is in mourning

Guenther thanked the emergency services at the scene, the police and all those who cared for the passengers and victims. “We will do everything – the police, the prosecutor’s office – to quickly find out the background of this terrible act,” Guenther said, adding that he would provide more details when needed. “Schleswig-Holstein is in mourning, it’s a terrible day, it’s terrible what happened there,” he added.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs ordered to hang mourning flags in the institutions of all authorities and departments in the country to honor the memory of the victims. Flags should be flown at half-mast on Thursday, the ministry said, recommending that all regions join in mourning.