Germany: Bielefeld Stabbing Suspect Arrested

Yesterday, we reported on the stabbing of 5 people in Bielefeld, Germany by a Syrian suspect. The suspect has been arrested near Dusseldorf. The article below in N-TV (Germany) is translated by Fousesquawk. 

Raid in Heiligenhaus

After attack in front of bar in Bielefeld: Suspect arrested

May 19, 2025, 23:49

The police had conducted a public search for the alleged perpetrator. In the evening, a special forces unit arrested the suspect.

In the early morning hours of Sunday, an armed man attacked party-goers in Bielefeld, (and) 5 people were injured. The perpetrator was also injured but was able to flee. After a special forces unit operation, there is an arrest.

After the attack on at least 5 people by a man in Bielefeld, a suspect has been arrested in Heiligenhaus near Düsseldorf. With the arrest, a police spokesperson says it is almost certain that it is the sought-after suspect. The identification procedures are ongoing.

A public prosecutor spokesperson in Bielefeld confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and “all directions” will be investigated. There will possibly be more comments during the day.

In the evening, there were special forces operations in two locations in Heiligenhaus in connection with the crime. In addition, investigators were dispatched to another operation in neighboring Velbert, which is also reportedly connected to the attack on Sunday.

Early Sunday morning, a man injured 5 young men aged between 22 and 27 with a pointed object, 4 of them seriously. Two of them were initially in life-threatening condition; their condition has since stabilized. The victims were standing in front of a bar on the northwestern edge of the Bielefeld inner city, where they were celebrating- they were reportedly from the Bielefeld soccer scene. They defended themselves with punches and injured the attacker, who fled. The scene of the crime lies under an elevated street near the Bielefeld Central Train Station.

Several knives found at crime scene

At the crime scene, the investigators found a bag with personal documents left behind by the alleged perpetrator as well as a bottle with an unknown liquid smelling like gasoline. In the search for clues, other knives were seized. Whether it is the man who attacked with a knife is still part of the investigation, a spokeswoman said. 

According to a report in Bild-Newspaper, the investigators believe that the suspect probably planned an attack. North-Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister, Herbert Reul, will not comment on the motive and possible background of the attack. “We know what happened at the scene, and we know who he is,  but nothing more. The motive situation can only be finally determined when we have additional documents or have conducted a conversation with the accused in German,” said the Christian Democratic politician.  

According to the interior minister, the Syrian traveled to Europe through Turkey. In December 2023, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees granted him a temporary protected status after the man had applied for asylum in Germany.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2025/05/germany-bielefeld-stabbing-suspect.html