Knife attacker kills 2 on German train before being overpowered by passengers
- The suspect in the stabbing incident on a train travelling between Hamburg and Kiel is now in custody, police say
- Germany has been hit in recent years by several deadly knife attacks, some carried out by extremists and others by people suffering from psychological problems
At least two people were killed and seven wounded in a knife attack on a regional train in northern Germany on Wednesday in which fellow passengers overpowered the alleged assailant, police said.
The stabbings occurred on a train travelling between the cities of Hamburg and Kiel, a police spokesman said, adding that three of the wounded had serious injuries.
The suspect, aged between 20 and 30, was taken into custody at the railway station in the town of Brokstedt and was also hurt.
“Witnesses were able to restrain the suspect immediately after the attack until police arrived at the station in Brokstedt,” police said in a statement.
The spokesman said the investigation into a motive was focused on “all directions” including possible extremism or psychological problems on the part of the assailant.