On the evening of Tuesday, April 18, 2023, an “unknown attacker” entered a gym in Duisburg, Germany, and attacked four men with a cutting or stabbing weapon, causing serious injuries. The youngest victim, a 21-year-old man, was in acute danger of death and had already undergone surgery, with a second operation pending. The other three victims, aged 24, 24, and 32, two of which had emergency surgery, could only provide limited information to investigators.
According to witnesses, the alleged perpetrator was around 30 years old and had a “Southern appearance,” which is the German police euphemism for Middle Eastern, Arab, or Islamic migrants. He was described as 1.80 meters tall, with an average build and a long black beard. He wore a dark long-sleeved sweater, dark pants, and a black cap with the visor turned forward. Police have set up an online portal to gather more information from the public.
#DPolGHH #Duisburg Täter weiter flüchtig. Beschreibung: 30 Jahre alt, 1,80 Meter groß, normale Statur, südländisches Erscheinungsbild. Schwarzer, langer Vollbart, war dunkel gekleidet u. trug eine schwarze Kappe mit nach vorne gedrehtem Schirm. #Fahndung https://t.co/F55S3oKqKZ
— DPolG Hamburg (@DPolGHH) April 19, 2023
The investigation is ongoing, and it is unclear what led to the attack. Police are not considering this a random attack but rather a targeted attack by a lone perpetrator. It is unknown whether the attacker was a gym member or how he gained entry.
The club operator expressed regret over the incident, and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas, who represents a constituency in Duisburg, tweeted her dismay. The police are in close contact with the Duisburg public prosecutor’s office and are questioning witnesses to the incident. The search for the weapon is ongoing, and investigators hope to gain more information from the public to help solve the case.
