Police in Germany have arrested a suspect following a life-threatening stabbing of a 16-year-old near the Christmas market in Herford, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The suspect is a 15-year-old migrant from northern Iraq, whose citizenship status has not yet been determined, according to Bild. He is alleged to have stabbed the teenager in the back during an altercation close to the market area.

The attack occurred at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday near Frühherrenstraße, on the outskirts of the Christmas market. According to police, the injured teenager managed to stagger into a nearby side street, where he asked several passersby near St. John’s Church for help before collapsing. Witnesses immediately called the emergency services.

The victim, a 16-year-old from Bad Salzuflen, was initially in critical condition. Radio Herford reported, “He was found yesterday evening with a knife in his back. He was initially in critical condition, but after emergency surgery, his condition is now stable,” citing a joint statement released on Friday by the authorities and public prosecutor’s office.

Investigators believe the two teenagers knew each other prior to the incident. Police said an argument broke out between them shortly before the stabbing, after which the suspect allegedly produced a sharp, piercing object and stabbed the victim in the back.

The motive for the attack remains unclear. The case is being investigated as attempted manslaughter.

Bielefeld police spokesman Michael Kötter told German media, “Measures have been taken to further clarify the crime. If there is sufficient suspicion of a crime, the suspect can be brought before a judge today or tomorrow.”

Police deployed a large number of officers to the city center on Thursday evening and cordoned off the crime scene. Because the suspect initially fled, sniffer dogs were also used in the search.