A 22-year-old male suspect stands accused of stabbing another 22-year-old man in public on Wednesday, in an area of Trier popular among students for its proximity to the university.
The university held a minute's silence in remembrance of the victim, who attended the institution.
On Thursday afternoon, the public prosecutor's office published information on the suspect, who is said to have stabbed the student with a knife on Robert-Schuman Allee. The suspect, a 22-year-old Afghan, is currently being held in forensic psychiatric care, and has been charged with manslaughter. He has lived in Trier for several years, not far from the location of the incident.
According to the prosecutor's office, the student was returning home from shopping when he encountered the perpetrator on the pavement. For as yet unknown reasons, the suspect used a kitchen knife to stab his victim twice in the upper body. The victim collapsed at the scene and succumbed to his injuries despite resuscitation attempts.
The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended by police a short time later. Thus far, there have been no indications as to the motive behind the attack. The suspect and the victim did not know each other and encountered one another coincidentally.
The suspect admitted to the stabbing upon his arrest, but did not supply further details. He was brought before a magistrate on Thursday, who ordered him to be held in a closed forensic psychiatric unit.
The suspect is thought to be suffering from mental illness and was recently treated by a psychiatric clinic. According to the prosecutor's office, there are indications that the suspect may not have been fully capable of culpability at the time of the crime. However, this question will now be clarified as part of the further investigations.
