A 21-year-old American man intervened, leading to a violent confrontation. “A 21-year-old US citizen intervened and was injured with a knife by one of the other perpetrators in the ensuing altercation,” the statement said.
Police added that the victim “suffered multiple cuts to his face with a knife.” Thomas Geithner, a police spokesperson, told German outlet Bild that the young man was transported to a hospital in serious condition. Images from the tram showed large amounts of blood on the floor, along with empty alcohol bottles and tissues used by passengers in an effort to stop the bleeding.
Authorities detained a suspect identified as a 21-year-old Syrian national, referred to as “Majid A.” He was arrested less than half a mile away at another tram stop on suspicion of taking part in the assault after allegedly beating the victim on the tram.
However, prosecutors later ordered his release., according to the New York Post “He was temporarily arrested and released by the prosecutor’s office,” Geithner said. Senior Public Prosecutor Jurgen Schmidt told Bild that “according to the on-call public prosecutor’s assessment, there were insufficient grounds for detention. The knife attack cannot be attributed to him.”
Police noted the suspect had previous charges of grievous bodily harm, robbery, and illegal entry against him, Bild reported.
Investigators believe another man may have been directly responsible for the stabbing and is still at large. “We are investigating him and the still unknown man for, among other things, grievous bodily harm,” police said.
The victim’s identity has not been released. Officials said his condition remains serious. The case has drawn attention in Germany, where concerns over crime involving migrants continue to spark political debate.
