An immigration office in the western German city of Wuppertal was closed on Thursday after an employee was stabbed several times by a 20-year-old Syrian national.
According to the Bild newspaper, the assailant stormed into the “House of Integration” building shortly before 9 a.m. local time on Thursday, “jumped over the reception desk in the entrance area, and suddenly stabbed the woman.”
The motive for the seemingly indiscriminate attack is unknown.
It is understood that the woman’s colleagues intervened and helped to apprehend the attacker, who was eventually arrested by German authorities.
The employee, a 25-year-old woman was hospitalized with “serious but non-life-threatening injuries,” according to local media. She worked at the center, which is responsible for connecting institutions that care for immigrants and refugees in the city.
The local mayor, the Greens’ Uwe Schneidewind, said he had been “very affected by this terrible attack” and thanked the colleagues “who courageously intervened and overpowered the perpetrator without considering any danger to themselves.
“We will now do everything we can to ensure that all colleagues in the House of Integration receive the best possible support in the long term,” he added.
The office is expected to remain closed for the rest of the week, and colleagues will be able to access psychological care following the traumatic attack.
Head of Social Affairs Stefan Kühn added: “It’s a shock for all employees. Our thoughts are with the colleague, and we send her our best wishes for recovery.”
