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On Tuesday evening, a man was shot dead at Frankfurt Central Station. A suspect was arrested immediately after the crime. What is known so far.
+++ 12.57 p.m.: Following the fatal shooting at Frankfurt Central Station, calls for consequences are growing. Among others, CDU interior expert Alexander Throm said: “The federal government no longer has control over security at our stations and trains.”
Update from Thursday, August 22nd, 9.40 a.m.: Investigations are ongoing following the fatal shooting at Frankfurt Central Station on Tuesday evening (20 August). This was announced by Dominik Mies, spokesman for the public prosecutor’s office, on Thursday morning. An arrest warrant has been issued against the suspected perpetrator on suspicion of murder.
Meanwhile, Hesse’s Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) spoke to Bild about a “cold-blooded murder” that took place at Frankfurt Central Station. “The perpetrator shot his victim without regard for other passers-by.”
A video that is supposed to show the crime and is circulating on the Internet shows a man approaching his victim from behind and suddenly shooting him in the back of the head. A passerby is standing barely a meter away from the 27-year-old, who immediately falls to the ground after being hit by the first bullet. There are also many travelers around the crime scene. The crowd disperses after the first shot, some in panic. The shooter – a 54-year-old man is suspected of the crime – then fires two more shots at his victim and walks away quickly. Shortly afterwards, he is arrested by federal police officers.
The crime still puzzles investigators: What was the relationship between the two Turkish citizens? What was the perpetrator’s motivation? A man residing in Baden-Württemberg is under suspicion.
Fatal shots at Frankfurt Central Station – mystery surrounding perpetrator-victim relationship
+++ 3.07 p.m.: Meanwhile, public prosecutor Dominik Mies has announced further details about the fatal shooting in Frankfurt Central Station. According to the report, the perpetrator fired a total of three times at his victim: first he hit the 27-year-old in the head from behind, and when he fell to the ground, he fired two more shots.
There is also news about the identities of those involved: the 54-year-old suspect, who was arrested in Frankfurt Central Station, lives in Baden-Württemberg. The victim had no current residence in Germany. Why the two met in the Main metropolis and what their relationship is is still unclear.
Accordingly, the motive for the fatal shooting remains a mystery: “At the moment we have no further information on the background of the crime, that is the subject of the investigation, including the motive,” explains Mies.
Fatal shooting at Frankfurt Central Station – Police give details of victim and suspect
+++ 11.49 a.m.: According to alleged witnesses, the perpetrator fired further shots at his victim at Frankfurt Central Station after the victim was already lying on the ground after the first shot to the head.
+++ 10.27 a.m.: Following the fatal shooting at Frankfurt Central Station, the police and public prosecutor’s office have released further information. In it, investigators confirm that the victim is a 27-year-old and the suspected perpetrator is a 54-year-old. Both men are Turkish citizens.
According to the report, the shooter approached his victim from behind at around 9 p.m. on platform 9 of Frankfurt Central Station and fired several shots at him from a pistol. He tried to flee, but was arrested without resistance by federal police officers on platform 7. The 27-year-old died at the scene.
Major operation at Frankfurt Central Station: After a homicide on a cross-platform, the police have cordoned off the area. © 5Vision.News
The 54-year-old suspect will be brought before the investigating judge at the Frankfurt District Court by the public prosecutor’s office on Wednesday, who will have to decide whether to order him to be remanded in custody. Information on the motive behind the fatal shooting at the main train station is still not available.
+++ 10.20 a.m.: After the brutal attack at Frankfurt Central Station, many questions remain unanswered. But some things about the case are already known and confirmed. The most important information at a glance.
Shots fired at Frankfurt Central Station: Police to provide new details
+++ 7.33 a.m.: On the morning after the killing at Frankfurt Central Station, the background to the crime is still unclear. It is very likely that this will not be disclosed on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Frankfurt police told IPPEN.MEDIA on request.
A joint press release on the case is to be published by the police and public prosecutor’s office during the course of the day. Information on the identities of the two men could then also be available.
Background to the killing at Frankfurt Central Station remains unclear
Update from August 21, 6:36 a.m.: After the killing at Frankfurt Central Station on Tuesday evening, the suspect is to be brought before a judge on Wednesday. He is said to have shot a man and was subsequently arrested by the federal police. The background to the crime was initially completely unclear. The police also initially did not provide any more precise information about the identities of the two men.
The main station was reportedly closed to trains and passengers for around 25 minutes due to the police operation on Tuesday evening. The operation at the crime scene continued during the night: forensic investigators and the homicide squad were on site to investigate. The operation ended at around 4:30 a.m. and the area around the crime scene was reopened, said the federal police.
Forensic investigation at Frankfurt Central Station – train service resumed
+++ 11.11 p.m.: The police have confirmed that the victim of the shots fired at the main train station has died. As a police spokesman explained when asked, the man died instantly. The federal police arrested the suspected perpetrator immediately after the crime. Further background information on the crime is not yet known.
+++ 10.55 p.m.: There is a man-sized white tent between platforms 8 and 9 at the main station. Forensic investigations are currently taking place there.
Shots fired at Frankfurt Central Station: A white tent has been set up near platforms 8 and 9. © 5Vision.News
Rail traffic has resumed since 10:21 p.m., reports the RMV. The Hauptbahnhof stop can be reached again, including by tram and subway. However, there will continue to be delays and cancellations there and in the Rhein-Main S-Bahn network. Passengers at Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof can get off S-Bahn trains from arriving trains. It is not possible to get on.
+++ 10.45 p.m.: According to a police spokesman, the suspected perpetrator shot the victim in the head. The man was seriously injured. However, there is conflicting information: other media are reporting that the victim is dead.
The crime is said to have taken place on the cross platform at the level of tracks 8 and 9. There are several witnesses who were identified by the police. The S-Bahn traffic was stopped to prevent the suspected perpetrator from escaping.
The police had closed off large parts of Frankfurt Central Station after shots were fired. © 5Vision.News
Headshot at Frankfurt Central Station – firearm found on suspect
+++ 10.36 p.m.: There is initial information about the police operation at Frankfurt Central Station. As Ippen reporter Sabine Schramek reports, a man fired shots in the main station. Another man was injured in the head. According to the police, it is not yet certain whether the injury was a gunshot wound.
The police arrested a suspect and found a firearm on him. It is still unclear whether this was the murder weapon.
The station was closed at some points during the operation. The shops were also closed. At the moment, platforms 7 to 10 are still blocked off by a police cordon. There are still many people on site who, given the late hour, are desperate about their cancelled and delayed connections.
Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof stop is served again
Update from Tuesday, August 20, 10:17 p.m.: According to RMV information, the Hauptbahnhof (tief) stop is being served by the S-Bahn again. However, there will continue to be significant delays and partial cancellations due to the police operation between the Hauptbahnhof and the Taunusanlage stop.
Large police operation at Frankfurt Central Station. According to Deutsche Bahn, the station was closed for 25 minutes. © Rainer Rüffer
First report from Tuesday, August 20, 9:54 p.m.: Frankfurt – The S-Bahn traffic in Frankfurt and the surrounding area was affected by a major disruption on Tuesday evening (20 August). The RMV reports that the reason for this was a police operation between the main station and Taunusanlage in Frankfurt. All S-Bahn trains except the S7 no longer stop at these two stops.
Police were also deployed in the main train station. © Rainer Rüffer
Major disruption to S-Bahn Rhein-Main: Two stops cancelled
Instead, according to RMV information, they operate as follows:
- S1: Wiesbaden Hbf – Frankfurt Süd – Offenbach Ost – Rödermark-Ober Roden (diversion between Frankfurt-Griesheim and Offenbach Ost)
- S2: Niedernhausen – Frankfurt-Griesheim sowie Offenbach-Kaiserlei – Dietzenbach Bahnhof
- S3: Bad Soden – Frankfurt-Galluswarte and Frankfurt-Hauptwache – Darmstadt Hbf
- S4: Kronberg – Frankfurt-Galluswarte and Frankfurt South – Langen
- S5: Friedrichsdorf – Frankfurt-Rödelheim
- S6: Friedberg – Frankfurt West, 30-Min-Takt
- S8/S9: Wiesbaden Hbf – Frankfurt-Stadion
- S9: Frankfurt-Hauptwache – Hanau Hbf.
The subway lines U4 and U5 are also affected. The U4 does not stop at the main station, but at the neighboring stations, the VGF reports. The U5 no longer runs between Konstablerwache and the main station.
The tram stop at Hauptbahnhof will also be cancelled. Lines 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 and 22 are affected.
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