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Knife attack in the university: seriously injured in Hamm – students overwhelm a 34-year-old suspect
Special police units were also deployed after the knife attacks at a university in Hamm (North Rhine-Westphalia).
© Andreas Rother / Westfälischer Anzeiger / DPA
Large-scale operation for the police and rescue workers in Hamm: At the Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences, a man attacked several people with a knife. There are injuries – and an arrest.
A man injured a man and three women with a knife at the Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences (HSHL) in Hamm. This was announced by the police in the Westphalian city on Friday afternoon. A suspect has been arrested, officials said. The police described the situation on site as “safe” in the evening. It is said to be a lone perpetrator.
Two seriously injured were among those attacked, the television station RTL reported. There is no danger to life. One person was taken to the hospital by rescue helicopter. A police spokesman told Radio Lippewelle Hamm that the injured were HSHL students. According to the police, the arrested person is a 34-year-old. It is not yet known who exactly he is and what a possible motive for the crime was.
Students overwhelmed Hamm’s stabber
Rescue workers and police moved to the university campus with a large contingent. Special units were also deployed.
The “Westfälische Anzeiger” reported on the course of the crime, citing the police, that the 34-year-old rushed up the university building around 3:30 p.m. and apparently stabbed himself indiscriminately. He was then overpowered by students in a lecture hall and then handed over to the police. A number of students were eyewitnesses to the crimes. They were offered pastoral care.
“We are deeply shocked by today’s events on our campus in Hamm. Our thoughts are with the injured, those affected and their families. We thank the students who courageously opposed the attacker and the police and rescue services for the quick intervention.” , according to the university management in a first statement.
The Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences has existed at the two locations in Hamm and Lippstadt since 2009. The campus in the 180,000-resident city of Hamm is located in the east of the city. The university currently has 5,600 students at both locations.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated several times since it was first published.
Sources: Hamm Police Headquarters, RTL, Radio Lippewelle Hamm, “Westphalian Gazette”, Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciencesnews agencies DPA and AFP