A man killed a man in Wolmirstedt in Saxony-Anhalt on Friday. He then attacked other people at a European Championship party in another location. A neighbor reports how the knife attacker “suddenly became aggressive” recently.

Two days after the knife attack at a European Championship party in Wolmirstedt in the Börde district, the police had no indications of a religious or terrorist background to the crime. This was announced by the director of the Stendal police station, Andreas Krautwald, in Magdeburg on Sunday. Two people were seriously injured in the attack on Friday evening, another person slightly. They are no longer in danger of dying. The Afghan is said to have previously fatally injured a 23-year-old at another location. The attacker was shot dead by the police.

The motive is “still the subject of investigation,” said Saxony-Anhalt’s Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang (CDU) during the press conference. The perpetrator had already been in Germany for some time and applied for asylum at the beginning of last year, said Krautwald. Most recently, according to the Interior Ministry, he had lived in a shared accommodation in Stendal. Proceedings against him for fraudulently obtaining benefits had been dropped, and investigations were still ongoing for possible illegal entry. Apart from that, there had been no police operations or proceedings in connection with the man, it was announced on Sunday.

A neighbor told Bild how the man had suddenly changed recently: “There are Afghans and Syrians living in the block, whole families. They are all very friendly and courteous. But they also gave him a wide berth. At first he behaved inconspicuously, but then that changed and he suddenly became aggressive.” The woman went on to say that he had only moved in a few months ago. It was apparently always loud. “He shouted in his apartment, insulted his guests. Sometimes he stood at the window of his apartment and threw eggs at passers-by. Once he hit a girl. That caused a lot of trouble,” said the neighbor.

After the crime, two knives were found that could be the murder weapon, said Krautwald: one where the 23-year-old was stabbed, another where the officers shot the attacker.

At the European Championship party in a housing estate in the small town of around 12,000 inhabitants, people had also watched the opening match of the European Championship between Germany and Scotland. According to the police, there were 16 guests there in total. According to witnesses, the 27-year-old went to the property because of the party atmosphere. He himself “had no connection to the European Championship,” said Krautwald.

A 50-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man were seriously injured in the attack. A 56-year-old man suffered minor injuries. Two victims have already been able to leave the hospital, reported Tom-Oliver Langhans, director of the Magdeburg police station. Another victim is still receiving inpatient treatment. According to Langhans, the victims, their relatives and witnesses to the crime are being cared for by victims’ associations, police chaplains and the district.

The first emergency call came in at 9:02 p.m., Krautwald said. “We assumed that there was a serious threat,” he said. The first emergency vehicle arrived at 9:12 p.m. near the private property where the European Championship party was being held.

The 27-year-old was then found and surrounded by several officers, it was said. He was sitting on the ground and appeared inconspicuous. The police were sure that this was the person mentioned in the emergency call, said Krautwald.

In order to de-escalate the situation, it was considered calling in special forces. According to the accounts of the emergency services involved, the 27-year-old then ran towards them, pulled out a knife and tried to stab them. Two of the officers then shot him. According to the information, the 27-year-old died shortly afterwards in hospital from his gunshot wounds.

Before the attack at the private party, the 27-year-old is said to have killed a 23-year-old man, also from Afghanistan, in an apartment building not far away in a prefabricated housing estate. The police suspect that the two knew each other. Details of their relationship were initially unclear. The 23-year-old had also been in Germany for a long time.

Interior Minister Zieschang also expressed her personal condolences and sympathy during the press conference. In addition to physical damage, psychological damage was also caused. “Sometimes such damage never heals,” said the CDU politician. She wished the police officers a speedy and full recovery. The police did not provide any information about the officers involved in the operation. The police in Stendal are currently leading the investigation. So far, seven police officers and 15 party guests have been questioned.

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