After the nightly large-scale operation on the Autobahn 9 in the Central Franconian district of Roth, an attempted homicide is being investigated against a 30-year-old man. As the police headquarters in Middle Franconia announced on Wednesday, it can now be ruled out that it was a hostage-taking. But there should have been a dispute between passengers of a coach. The suspect is said to have threatened and hit other passengers with death on Tuesday. Contrary to what he initially feared, he did not have a weapon with him.
According to the police, the suspect kicked a 20-year-old man in the head several times so that he had to be treated in the hospital. The victim has since been released from the clinic. In addition, the alleged perpetrator is said to have hit a 24-year-old woman in the face.
Because of this dispute, the bus stopped between the Hilpoltstein and Greding junctions on the hard shoulder, the passengers got off, but three bus drivers stayed in the vehicle with the suspect, the police said. The bus was on its way to Munich or Serbia.
A police negotiating group contacted the bus drivers via mobile phone, who were then also able to get off the bus. At around 9:30 p.m., police officers were able to arrest the suspect on the bus.
The Nuremberg-Fürth public prosecutor’s office filed for arrest against the 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted manslaughter. On Tuesday morning it was said that the suspect had already been questioned, that was misinformation. During the day he will be brought before the investigating judge to examine the question of detention.
The white coach is the only vehicle on the A 9 on Tuesday evening. The motorway was completely closed because of the alleged hostage-taking.
(Photo: Ralph Goppel / dpa)
The incident triggered a large-scale operation that lasted for hours on Tuesday evening. The alarm report was received by the police shortly after 5 p.m. The officials spoke of a “threat situation” that triggered a larger operation with the participation of forces of the Special Operations Command (SEK). The A 9 was closed in both directions between Hilpoltstein and Greding. In the meantime, there were no trains running on the nearby Munich-Nuremberg ICE line. The closure of the motorway was lifted again in the course of the evening.