It has happened again. Early Sunday morning, in the German town of Bielefeld, 5 soccer fans celebrating in a bar were randomly stabbed, 3 of them seriously. The suspect was tackled but managed to escape, leaving a backpack and knives behind as well as identification in the name of Mahmoud Mhemed, as 35-year-old Syrian asylum seeker. As of this writing, he is still at large.
The article below from Der Spiegel is translated by Fousesquawk. Note that there is a discrepancy in the spelling of his last name in the final paragraph.
Violent act in Bielefeld
Next to the backpack lay two long kitchen knives
The police are searching for a 35-year-old man: He reportedly injured several people, some seriously in a bar in Bielefeld. According to Spiegel's information, the alleged perpetrator came to Germany in 2023.
By Joerg Diehl, Tobias Grossekemper, and Roman Lehberger
May 18, 2025 at 20:27
Caption: Police search photo: Investigators are looking for the Syrian citizen, Mahmoud Mhemed
After the attack in the Bielefeld inner city, in which several people, some seriously, were injured, police are searching for a 35-year-old Syrian.
It is still not clear how the attack late Saturday night/early Sunday morning upon a group of celebrating soccer fans should be assessed. Was it an attack, in which the guests of the Cutie Bar in the Bielefeld inner city were injured? Was there a fight prior? And who is the perpetrator?
On Sunday evening, the Bielefeld police published a photo and the name of a Syrian citizen: Mahmoud Mhemed, born 1-1-1990, is suspected of injuring 5 people between the ages of 22 and 27 with a knife, three of them seriously.
According to Spiegel's information, police discovered near the scene of the crime, a backpack that they attribute to Mhemed. Next to it lay, among other things, two long kitchen knives and an additional knife that was attached to a stick. In the backpack were found a bottle with a flammable liquid, presumably gasoline, as well as personal documents of Mahmoud Mhemed.
Randomly stabbed soccer fans
The man, who, according to Spiegel's information, came to Germany in August 2023 and was (not yet known) to security authorities, and is apparently living in a nearby accommodation facility, just 30 kilometers from Bielefeld. A special operations team searched his residence on Sunday without results, there being no sign of Mhemed.
The responsible prosecutor's office of Bielefeld initially classified the act as attempted murder. On Sunday, around 6 pm, the authorities published the photo and name of the wanted man. Should anyone encounter the man, say the police, keep a distance- it cannot be ruled out that the suspect is armed.
The perpetrator, who early Sunday morning around 4:20 am, allegedly randomly stabbed the soccer fans in front of the Cutie Bar, was reportedly himself tackled and injured, they say. Then he reportedly succeeded in fleeing.
Mahmoud Mehmet (sic?) is described by police as 1.60-1.70 meters tall and stocky. He has black, thinning hair, brown eyes, and reportedly was wearing a black hoodie, a white shirt, and black pants.
*Update May 19, 2025: The suspect has been arrested near Dusseldorf. Details from German media to follow.
No comments:
Post a Comment