2 Dead and 5 Injured After Knife Attack on Train

Two people were killed and seven more injured in a knife attack on an inter-region train in Germany. The train was travelling between Hamburg and Kiel, which are just over 60 miles apart.

The man reportedly attacked travelers around 3pm before arriving at Brokstedt station, which is near Neumunster in northern Germany. Interior minister of Schleswig-Holstein Sabine Suetterlin-Waack told DPA that two were killed and another five wounded. Three people were severely injured and four others suffered minor injuries. One person is fighting for their life in hospital.

One eyewitness told how the carriage erupted in panic when three girls rushed in to say there was a man with a knife on the train, according to KN-Online. By then, the suspect had already injured at least one woman.

As the train pulled up to Brokstedt, the passengers fled on to the platform to escape the killer. A large part of the station has been cordoned off and there is a large emergency service response at the scene, including nine ambulances, three emergency doctors and a rescue helicopter from Hamburg.

Police – who say the suspect is now in custody – added that he had hand wounds when he was arrested, which they believe were self-inflicted. The man was reportedly tackled by cops as he got off the train. Police did not provide any information on the suspect’s identity other than saying he was between 20 to 30 years old. The regional interior minister branded the attack a “horrible act against all humanity”.

“It is terrible,” Suetterlin-Waack told German public broadcaster NDR. “We are shocked and horrified that something like this has happened. “For me it is clear that the horrible act is against all humanity”, she added, saying her “thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims.” Police are still investigating the motive behind the attack. Train operator Deutsche Bahn expressed its condolences on Wednesday evening, saying that “our deepest sympathy goes to the relatives of the victims. We wish those injured a speedy and complete recovery”.

This is not the first time Germany has seen such an attack. In May of last year, a similar incident left six injured after a knifeman lashed out on a passenger train near the western German city of Aachen. The suspect was detained by police while several were treated in hospital for their injuries. Herbert Reul, the NRW state interior minister, reportedly said six people were wounded, including the suspected attacker.

In December, a girl was murdered with another left fighting for her life after being attacked by a man on their way to school in Illerkirchberg, a 4,700-inhabitant village in southern Germany.

Emergency services raced to the town near Munich to find the pupils, aged 13 and 14, and took them to hospital, but the eldest of the pair couldn’t be saved and was pronounced dead after admission. Cops earlier said both girls had “serious injuries” but refused to go into further detail.

The recent attacks have raised concerns about the safety of public transportation in Germany and the potential for similar incidents in the future. Officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. The investigation into this latest attack is ongoing and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.