Hamburg knife attack: Suspect sent to psychiatric clinic – DW – 05/24/2025
The suspect in Friday's knife attack at Hamburg Central Station was ordered by a magistrate to be placed in a psychiatric clinic on Saturday.
According to police, the detention order is for attempted murder in conjunction with 15 counts of grievous bodily harm.
Earlier in the day, the German police said that they do not see any political motive behind the attack.
"Rather, there are now very concrete indications of a mental illness in the suspect," the police stated on Saturday, without giving further details on her condition.
Police added that there are currently no indications that 39-year-old German woman was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, they did not provide further details.
In recent months, Germany has been rocked by a series of violent attacks, many of which were motivated by jihadism or right-wing extremism.
Woman in custody after Hamburg mass stabbing
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Bystanders stopped the knife attack
The stabbing incident took place on platform 13/14 at Hamburg Central Station on Friday evening just after 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) leading to a major police and rescue operation.
Thanks to the brave intervention of two bystanders, the knife attack at Hamburg Central Station was quickly stopped.
"The very quick intervention on the platform was able to stop the attack," the police said on Saturday.
The emergency services team was able to quickly arrest the woman who did not resist being taken into custody. Investigators currently believe that the attack was the act of a lone perpetrator.
The knife used in the attack has been secured. Police said there are many eyewitnesses who need to be interviewed.
All of the injured are in stable condition
Eighteen people, ranging in age from 19 to 85, were injured in the Friday's attack.
Three women, aged 24, 52, and 85, as well as a 24-year-old man, were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.
Seven others were seriously injured and seven more sustained minor injuries. Police said that injured were all stable.
On Saturday, Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher said that some of the injured have been discharged from the hospital.
"It is a great relief. I hope they recover well and wish them and their families a lot of strength," Tschentscher wrote on the social media platform X, without specifying how many people were released.
Four people from Bremen were also injured in the knife attack at Hamburg Central Station, the local authorities said.
Bremen Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte said he was "deeply shocked" by the attack. He added: "Fortunately, we have received the news today that all 18 injured people are now out of danger. I wish everyone involved a full recovery as quickly as possible."
Meanwhile, trains were running on schedule again at Hamburg Central Station the morning after the attack, a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman confirmed to dpa news agency early Saturday.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
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