Syrian Refugee Attacks Passengers with Hammer and Axe on German High-Speed Train

Watan-German police announced that a 20-year-old Syrian refugee injured four people—three of them Syrian nationals—in a hammer and axe attack aboard a high-speed ICE train traveling from Hamburg to Vienna on Thursday.

In an updated statement, police said the injured victims included three Syrians aged 15, 24, and 51, and a fourth man, age 38, whose nationality was not disclosed.

The attack occurred at 1:55 PM local time while the train was passing through the Bavaria region in southeastern Germany.

Police said:“A man used dangerous objects to injure several people aboard an ICE (InterCity Express) train bound for Vienna.”

The suspect was restrained by other passengers before law enforcement arrived and took him into custody.

Police spokesman Günther Tomaschko stated that the attacker was armed with what appeared to be a hammer and an axe, but investigators are still trying to determine whether both tools were used simultaneously or separately.

The motive remains unclear, and investigators have not confirmed any connections among the Syrian victims and the attacker.

Additional Information:

Bavaria’s Interior Minister, Joachim Herrmann, confirmed that the suspect entered Austria as a refugee and was legally traveling in Germany with a residence permit. Austrian authorities have launched an investigation into his background, focusing on his life in the Vienna region, where he is believed to have resided.

Among the injured were a Syrian woman and her son, Herrmann noted.

Although early reports described the injuries as “minor,” police have not officially confirmed the extent of the wounds.

German rail company Deutsche Bahn released a statement expressing its shock over the violent attack:“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the victims and everyone affected by this traumatic incident.”