‘It Was Carnage’: Knife Attacker Goes on Rampage in German Bus, Reports of up to 14 Injured

Up to 14 people have reportedly been injured in a knife attack in the northern German city of Luebeck, local media reports. Police managed to detain the suspected attacker following what was described as ‘carnage’ by witnesses.

The incident happened in Luebek’s district of Kuecknitz. People "jumped out of the bus and screamed, it was terrible, and then the injured were taken away,” an eyewitness named Lothar, who lives next to the scene, told Luebecker Nachrichten (LN).

Es hat in #lübeck #kücknitz einen Vorfall in einem Linienbus gegeben. Dabei wurden Menschen verletzt. Es wurde niemand getötet. Der Täter konnte überwältigt werden und befindet sich in Polizeigewahrsam. Wir sind weiterhin vor Ort und berichten auch hier weiter. — Polizei SH (@SH_Polizei) July 20, 2018

Another eyewitness, who was in the bus at the moment of the attack, told LN that “one of the victims had just offered his place to an elderly woman as the perpetrator stabbed him in the chest.”

“It was carnage!” she added.

The police confirmed that some people have indeed been wounded but said that no one was killed. According to local media at least two people were seriously injured while 12 more sustained light injuries.

The perpetrator was successfully detained and is now in custody. However, law enforcement stopped short of providing any details about his identity. Local news outlets describe him as a male of Iranian origin and in his 30s.

The perpetrator allegedly attempted to flee the crime scene. However, he was promptly apprehended by a nearby police patrol. It is understood that the man also left a “smoldering backpack” in the bus but the fire was promptly extinguished.

The suspect, 34, is a German citizen and was born in Germany, the prosecutor, Ulla Hingst, told LN, adding that the authorities “have no evidence suggesting political radicalization in any form.” At the same time, the regional interior minister, Hans-Joachim Grote, said that, even though “the suspect did not shout anything and made no statements,” it would still be “inappropriate to rule out a terrorist motive.”