An American man was stabbed in Dresden over the weekend while trying to help a group of young women who were allegedly being harassed. Now a suspect has been arrested—for the second time.
Police have arrested a suspect in the knife attack on a tram in Dresden. The man is a 21-year-old Syrian who had previously been arrested but initially released. Dresden police and the public prosecutor's office announced this in a joint press release.
According to police, two men harassed a group of female passengers on a Dresden tram overnight into Sunday. A 21-year-old American intervened and was attacked with a knife and injured in the ensuing altercation. The perpetrators then fled. The 21-year-old Syrian was arrested shortly afterward but released shortly afterward because it was assumed that the second attacker was responsible for the knife attack.
Further investigations have now revealed that the 21-year-old Syrian is also a strong suspect in the knife attack. He, too, is alleged to have injured the American with a"dangerous object."
After these new findings became known, the public prosecutor's office ordered the provisional arrest of the Syrian"immediately." He was arrested on Tuesday morning. An arrest warrant was issued against him, and the 21-year-old is currently in pre-trial detention.
The investigation is ongoing and will"take some time," it added. It will not comment further at this time"for tactical reasons."
The injured American spoke out after the incident in an Instagram video. In a selfie video apparently taken in a hospital, the young man can be seen with a blood-soaked bandage on his mouth and nose, making his voice sound somewhat nasal."If you don't believe that Europe—especially Germany—has an immigration problem, let me tell you something," he said in the clip.
He recorded the video shortly before one of the attackers was released from police custody. The man was neither a German nor an EU citizen, but a"drug dealer" and "doesn't even belong here," the 21-year-old said. He was apparently referring to the attacker, who had since been released and has now been re-arrested.
The American suffered a deep cut to his face and remains in the hospital. According to police, his life was never in danger. A fundraising campaign for the victim is currently underway online.
