Dresden – The bloody knife attack on a US tourist in Dresden: First, one of the attackers was released, but now he's back in custody. As BILD learned, police arrested Majd A. (21) on Tuesday. The Syrian was brought before the investigating judge at the Dresden District Court that afternoon. She remanded the perpetrator in custody.
The war refugee is an accomplice in the brutal attack on a US citizen. The tourist from New York courageously intervened shortly after midnight on Sunday when two men were harassing a young woman on tram line 7 in Dresden.
Tourist wanted to protect women
Police spokesman Lukas Reumund (48): “A 21-year-old US citizen intervened and was injured by one of the perpetrators with a knife during the ensuing altercation.” The attackers are said to be two perpetrators.
According to surveillance video from the tram, Majd A., a Syrian, allegedly punched the US tourist. The main perpetrator then approached, pulled out a knife, and slashed the US citizen's face. The severely injured man was taken by ambulance to Dresden University Hospital. The gaping wound on his face required stitches.
Perpetrator caught and released
The alerted police arrived quickly and were able to arrest one of the attackers about 700 meters from the crime scene. Majd A. – the Syrian had fled on a rented scooter.
However, approximately 12 hours later, the police had to release the Syrian (known to the police for grievous bodily harm, robbery, and illegal entry) from custody. According to the public prosecutor's office, there were no grounds for his detention at the time of the investigation.
New findings after video analysis
Initially, investigators investigated Majd A. for simple assault. According to BILD, video footage from the tram now shows that A. was holding a dangerous object in his fist, presumably to injure his opponent when striking him. Therefore, the German judiciary now classifies his actions as dangerous assault, and A. has been remanded in custody. The main perpetrator, however, remains at large.
The Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office and the Dresden Police Department are currently not providing any further information on the status of the investigation."
