On June 30, an Iranian asylum-seeker, armed with a knife, went on a rampage outside a train station in the Bavarian town of Lauf-an-der-Pegnitz, near Nuremberg. He was shot and killed by police when he reportedly attacked the police with the knife.
This week, the Nuernberger Nachrichten ran a story in which his family and friends questioned why the man, identified only as Mohammad, had to die. The article is translated by Fousesquawk.
One comment: According to the article, Mohammad was a good guy and was well thought of. He aspired to be a doctor, but his application for asylum was denied, and we don't know why. It may very well be that this is a case of one who just cracked for one reason or another. Maybe he was committing what we call in the US call, "suicide by cop". However, at the end of the day, if you attack people with a knife, particularly a cop, you are most likely to get shot-in most any country.
Funeral in Iran
Why did Mohammad have to die? Family questions police action after deadly shot in Lauf
By Azeglio Elia Hupfer July 17, 2024 05:00
Caption: Friends and family mourn Mohammad at the bus stop (at the train station) in Lauf an-der-Pegnitz. Flowers were laid and candles lit.
Lauf an-der-Pegnitz- Following the deadly stomach shot at the train station left of the Pegnitz (river), family, friends, and acquaintances are stunned and ask themselves why Mohammad had to die. The Iranian embassy is also involved.
"Cops kill! Say his name," is spray-painted at the bus stop at the Lauf train station on the left side of the Pegnitz. His name was Mohammad. In the afternoon of June 30, he was killed by a shot from a federal policewoman. First, according to the police, there was reportedly a knife attack by Mohammad on a patrol. The investigation by the Schwabach Criminal Police, in cooperation with the State Prosecutor's Office is on-going as of July 16.
While the authorities are releasing little information about the incident, referring to on-going investigations, more is known about the killed 34-year-old from an investigation by the Nuremberg Press Publishers- (parent company) of the Nuernberger Nachrichten and the Pegnitz Zeitung (Newspaper). Accordingly, Mohammad fled Iran to Germany in 2015 and lived the last nine years in community housing for refugees in Roethenbach in the Nuremberg area.
Big plans, no asylum
"He came here with a lot of hope and goals," Mohammad's brother-in-law tells the Nuernberger Nachrichten. Mohammad wanted to become a doctor, completed an advanced language course in Erlangen, and ultimately, became fluent in German. Mohammad's asylum application was denied, however. An appeal was unsuccessful three years ago. In the end, he was merely tolerated in Germany.
Mohammad used his knowledge of German to help other residents of the housing facility with translating, (and) many called him "Professor", friends and social workers say. Mohammad was well-loved in the residence (and) always had a smile, residents recall. "He never had a knife on him, was always ready to help, and was a calm guy," says one acquaintance.
The question of why
Family and friends are still stunned and wonder why Mohammad had to die. In Nordrhein-Westfalen live Mohammad's sister and brother-in-law. The family wonders: "Why couldn't three well-trained police officers control the situation differently?" Why did they immediately shoot Mohammad?"
Mohammad's brother-in-law suspects a possible connection with the knife attack at the Mannheim Market Square at the end of May. "Maybe the police were afraid and shot." On May 31 a 25-year-old wounded five participants of a demonstration by the anti-Islam movement, Pax Europa, and a 29-year-old policeman with a knife. The policeman died two days later from his injuries. In the case of Mohammad, there is no indication of an extremist background at this stage of the investigation.
The Iranian embassy in Germany is also involved in the death of Mohammad, also asking how the 34-year-old could die. The Bavarian Refugee Council also expects a complete explanation. "We are demanding a comprehensive and critical investigation of the incident in Lauf-an-der-Pegnitz, to prevent future tragedies," says Johanna Boehm, of the Bavarian Refugee Council.
Buried in Iran
Mohammad's body is now in Iran. He was buried there last week. "Here in Germany, he only had his sister and me. His family in Iran wanted to have the possibility to mourn at his grave," says the brother-in-law.
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