Knives have woken up in the Bavarian town of Lauf an der Pegnitz (Lauf-on-the-Pegnitz). In this case, the bladed weapon found its way into the hands of a culture-enricher from Iran, who unfortunately is now deceased.

Many thanks to Gary Fouse for translating this article from Die Welt:

Knife attack in Bavaria

Police shoot attacker — Perpetrator is Iranian known to police

In Lauf an der Pegnitz near Nuremberg, a federal policewoman shot a 34-year-old who had just attacked three officers with a knife. He died at the scene. What is known about the incident up to now.

First Mannheim, now Lauf an der Pegnitz. Once again, a man has attacked people with a knife in public. In Lauf an der Pegnitz, the attacks were against three officers of the federal police. An officer shot the perpetrator.

According to police, the alleged attacker first went after a federal police patrol car. According to information from DPA, he shook the vehicle door — with no knife visible. When the three officers got out of the vehicle, he reportedly attacked them with a knife.

Security sources say that the officers first used pepper spray. When that had no effect, according to media reports, the policewoman then fired a shot in the air.

When that failed to deter the alleged attacker, she shot him. He was hit in the stomach. According to police, the officers immediately provided first aid, and later an emergency doctor arrived. However, they could not save him.

What is known about the attacker in Lauf an der Pegnitz?

The man is a 34-year-old with Iranian nationality. According to German Press Agency information, the man was known to police prior to the incident. Among other things, he was known for resisting arrest.

Where he lived, the prosecutor’s office was initially unable to answer. In addition, as to his residency status, there was initially no information from the Bavarian Interior Ministry. In an interview with Bavarian Radio, Interior Minister Joachim Hermann (CSU) referred to him as a refugee.

How are the three police officers?

The federal policewoman and both of her colleagues were uninjured in the attack. As to whether they may continue their duties or will be put on leave during the investigation is not clear. The State Prosecutor’s Office referred questions pertaining to service regulations to the federal police, who referred them back to the State Prosecutor’s office.

What do investigators know about the background?

The motive for the crime was still not known the day after the attack. The State Prosecutor’s Office in Nuremberg and the Criminal Police have taken over the investigation. They will now evaluate the clues from the scene and question witnesses.

On that day in Lauf an der Pegnitz, there was an Old Town festival and, accordingly, many people were milling around. The investigators must also clarify how the incident occurred. Whether there was one or more shots fired, they could not immediately answer.

How are the reactions?

In the view of the Bavarian Police Union, the knife attack shows an example of the security situation in Germany. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and all responsible politicians must take more responsibility for internal security, the deputy chairman for federal police, Uwe Steinbrecher, demanded. “Enough with empty phrases — now actions are in order.”

Bavarian Interior Minister Hermann told Bavarian Radio that we must take the danger very seriously. “Here we must react concretely in each individual case,” for example, with proper sentences and deportation from Germany, according to Hermann.