HAMBURG, GERMANY – Eighteen people were wounded, four of them critically, in a horrifying knife attack at Hamburg’s bustling central railway station on Friday evening, sending shockwaves through Germany’s second-largest city. Police swiftly arrested a 39-year-old German woman at the scene, who is now being investigated for potential mental health issues.
The chaotic scene unfolded around 6:00 PM local time (16:00 GMT) between platforms 13 and 14, a busy section of the station often crowded during Friday rush hour. Witnesses described the suspect, a German national, indiscriminately stabbing people waiting for a train. Several victims were reportedly treated on board waiting trains as emergency services swarmed the area.
“It was chaos. People were screaming and trying to get away,” recounted one shaken commuter who was at the station.
Police confirmed that four of the injured sustained life-threatening wounds, though their conditions were stable as of Saturday. Seven others were seriously injured, and seven more suffered minor wounds. The victims range in age from 19 to 85, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attack.
The suspect was apprehended at the scene without resistance, reportedly by the “rapid intervention” of two passersby who helped subdue her before emergency services arrived. A video circulating on social media appears to show the woman being escorted by officers into a police vehicle.
Authorities have been quick to rule out a political or extremist motive for the attack. “So far we have no evidence that the woman could have acted with political motivation,” stated Hamburg police spokesperson Florian Abbenseth. “Rather, there are now very concrete indications of a mental illness on the part of the suspect.” Police also stated there were no signs she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.
The woman is scheduled to appear in court on Saturday and is expected to be held in a psychiatric facility while in custody. The investigation is ongoing, with federal police temporarily closing off parts of the station for forensic examination. Train services were largely resumed by 7:00 PM, though some platforms remained affected.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his shock at the news, stating, “My thoughts are with the victims and their families.” He also thanked the emergency services for their rapid assistance.
Hamburg’s central station is one of Germany’s busiest transport hubs, processing around half a million travelers each day. This attack marks the latest in a series of violent incidents involving knives in Germany in recent months, which have put security at the top of the national agenda. The question of security, and in some previous cases, the origins of attackers, has become a key issue for voters in recent German elections.
As Hamburg grapples with the aftermath of this shocking event, the focus remains on the recovery of the victims and the ongoing investigation into the suspect’s motives and mental state.