Authorities report that a man attacked and slightly injured four people with an axe on a long-distance train in southern Germany before being apprehended by police.
The attack occurred on an ICE express train traveling towards Vienna, Austria, between Straubing and Plattling in Bavaria, according to Straubing police.
Police stated that approximately 500 passengers were on board the train at the time of the incident.
Around 150 police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel were dispatched to the location. The railway line has been shut down.
Initially, police withheld information regarding the attacker’s identity and motives, but later confirmed that he was subdued by fellow passengers and sustained injuries in the process.
According to police reports, the attacker may have used weapons in addition to the axe.
A police spokesperson told the German news agency dpa that the perpetrator is “probably somewhat more seriously injured.” He is currently in police custody and receiving medical attention.
The injured passengers have been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The Bavarian Red Cross stated that they received an alert around 2 pm local time on Thursday after passengers activated the emergency brakes.
The Red Cross further mentioned the establishment of a special care center in the vicinity to assist passengers. In addition to numerous rescue services and two helicopters, psychological support personnel were deployed to assist uninjured passengers who may have been traumatized.
In a statement, German rail operator Deutsche Bahn expressed their “thoughts and sympathy with the injured and all those who now have to come to terms with what they have experienced,” and thanked the emergency services for their swift arrest of the suspect.
