Two dead in knife attack in Ludwigshafen

On Tuesday shortly after 12 p.m., a man stabbed two 20 and 35-year-old men in the Oggersheim district of Ludwigshafen. For the two, any help comes too late. The perpetrator, as the police later describe the process, fled from the first crime scene. A few hundred meters away, he then injured a 27-year-old in a drugstore with a large knife. There, police officers confront the suspect and shoot the man to stop him. The 25-year-old was seriously injured and arrested.

The background to the crime, the exact course of events and the possible motive are still completely unclear. “We are investigating in all directions,” said the spokeswoman for the police headquarters.

The police had initially announced that the officials had been alerted to a knife attack in the Oggersheim district. It was shot. The alleged perpetrator is said to have attacked other people with the knife at noon. “Two people died from their injuries,” the police spokeswoman said.

The police had announced that the officials had been alerted at lunchtime because of a knife attack. The first crime scene is on the street near high-rise buildings. The suspect then fled from there. A police patrol took up the pursuit and was able to place the man in the supermarket.

The suspect was caught on the run

The police spoke of two crime scenes. The place of arrest is in the middle of the Oggersheim district. There are other shops nearby, including a supermarket, and a tram stop. Schools and kindergartens are also in the vicinity.

The State Criminal Police Office of Rhineland-Palatinate is also involved in the investigation, said Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD). “Of course, investigations are being carried out in all directions.” Ebling, who was appointed the new Minister of the Interior just a few days ago, was concerned about the crime on the sidelines of a visit to the Ahr Valley. His thoughts are with the families of the victims, he said. “An act that naturally moves us.”

Shortly thereafter, the police cordoned off the crime scene. “There is no danger to the population,” said the police headquarters. “We are currently collecting reliable information and will report promptly on the status of the investigation.”

Police ask for help

The police set up a contact point near the crime scenes for witnesses. Psychological help was offered to eyewitnesses as well as rescue workers in order to be able to process the events. The police also asked witnesses to submit clues, photos and videos of the crime. The investigators switched to this a portal on the Internet.

Oggersheim is a western district of Ludwigshafen with more than 20,000 inhabitants. It became known as the place of residence of the former CDU Chancellor Helmut Kohl (1930-2017). Ludwigshafen is the second largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate after Mainz and is located directly opposite Mannheim (Baden-Württemberg) on ​​the Rhine.

The Mayor of Ludwigshafen, Jutta Steinruck (SPD), speaks of a “difficult day for the city”. “The cruel act in Oggersheim fills me with great horror,” said Steinruck, who expressed her condolences to the victims’ families. “To express our grief for the victims, I have ordered mourning flags.” (dpa)

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