Shooting spree in Wuppertal
“We pushed the tables in front of the door and sat on the floor at the back”
A large-scale police operation was carried out at the Wilhelm-Dörpfeld-Gymnasium after a suspected rampage
© Tim Oelbermann / Imago Images
Shock at a school in Wuppertal: A 17-year-old attacks classmates with a knife. A day after the crime, the children and young people are still struggling with their memories.
At 9:55 a.m. on Thursday morning, the police received an emergency call from a school office Wuppertal: At least two students are said to have been injured in a knife attack at the Wilhelm-Dörpfeld-Gymnasium in the Elberfeld district. The police raise the alarm and, like the fire department, deploy a large number of forces.
A student later told the German Press Agency that a friend of his saw two older students running down the stairs bleeding. “I thought: Maybe they got into a fight.” But then an announcement was made asking them to go into the classrooms and lock the rooms. “We then pushed the tables in front of the door and sat on the floor at the back,” he said. “We were very scared.”
An eleven-year-old student describes what happened: “We had English lessons, then an announcement came that several students had been injured and that the paramedics should come to the medical room.” As they waited barricaded in their classroom, someone pushed the handle and scratched on the door.
Police cordon off high school in Wuppertal
Outside, the police cordon off the area around the school. A police helicopter circles in the air. Among the many emergency services there are also officers with submachine guns. Pastors are also on site.
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Meanwhile, police officers search and evacuate the school. They arrest a 17-year-old student who is said to have injured several classmates with stabbing weapons. The arrested man also has stab wounds – presumably self-inflicted. The police initially put the number of injured victims at four, plus the suspected attacker. He and two students have to be treated in the intensive care unit.
Injured people are out of danger after stab wounds
Shortly after 12 p.m., officials announced that the students were safe. The evacuation was carried out in an orderly manner. Even students who were not physically injured are in shock.
On Friday morning, the public prosecutor’s office split up Wuppertal star-Inquiry that all the injured were out of danger. The Wuppertal public prosecutor’s office has not yet commented on the suspect’s possible motives. According to a police spokesman, investigators are assuming an amok attack.
The suspect’s lawyer remains silent
Attorney Oliver Doelfs, who has taken over the defense of the young person, does not want to comment on the case yet, citing the special need for protection of his minor client.
Prosecutors are faced with the decision of whether to apply for an arrest warrant or for the 17-year-old to be temporarily placed in a psychiatric hospital. He needs to be examined psychiatrically to determine whether he is responsible.
The further course of action will depend on the specialist’s report. The student, who is in a hospital, is currently considered unfit for transport anyway.
The authorities want to provide further details on the status of the investigation at a press conference at 2 p.m.
Sources: DPA, press release from the Wuppertal public prosecutor’s office.