Knife attacker in Germany kills two, including child: police

A two-year-old child and a man were killed, and two others seriously injured, in a knife attack on Wednesday in a public park in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg, police said.

Authorities arrested a 28-year-old Afghan suspect near the crime scene shortly after the attack, which occurred at around 11:45 a.m. The stabbings targeted a group of daycare children in the park, according to German media.

The suspect, who reportedly has a history of psychological issues and lived in a local asylum center, attempted to flee across nearby train tracks before being apprehended, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported.

Police have ruled out other suspects, stating there is no ongoing danger to the public.

Community reacts to tragedy

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her shock at the attack and promised a thorough investigation. “The investigation will clarify the background to this terrible act of violence,” she said.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann gives a statement near a park, where earlier today two people were killed in a knife attack, one of them a child, in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 22, 2025.

Train traffic in the area was suspended following the incident, with services delayed or diverted as authorities cordoned off the park.

A second individual detained by police is being treated as a witness, officials said.

Renewed focus on knife attacks

The attack is the latest in a series of high-profile stabbings that have raised concerns over public safety in Germany. Earlier incidents include the June killing of a police officer in Mannheim and an August stabbing spree at a Solingen street festival that left three dead and eight injured.

The Solingen attack, carried out by a Syrian migrant, was claimed by the Islamic State group and reignited debates over immigration policies.

In response, the German government has implemented tighter knife controls, reduced benefits for asylum seekers, and expanded security service powers.

Political implications

The attack in Aschaffenburg comes just a month before Germany’s national elections on February 23. Immigration and public safety have become pivotal campaign issues, with the conservative CDU/CSU alliance leading in the polls, followed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel reacted to the attack by calling for “remigration” on social media, reflecting the party’s anti-immigration stance.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, currently polling third, have yet to comment on the incident.

As Germany prepares to vote, the attack underscores growing tensions over immigration and security in the country.