German mayor in critical condition after being stabbed 13 times – Her 17-year-old daughter is the main suspect

Shock successful Germany implicit a weapon onslaught connected the mayor-elect of Herdeke, Iris Stalcher, who is successful captious information aft suffering aggregate injuries successful her home. The incidental occurred astatine noon connected Tuesday and has sparked beardown reactions connected a governmental and societal level.

Iris Stalcher, 57, who had been elected politician connected 28 September and was owed to instrumentality bureau connected 1 November, was recovered bleeding to decease successful her location successful Herdecke, North Rhine-Westphalia. Police said she suffered 13 stab wounds to her abdomen and backmost and was taken by chopper to a infirmary successful Bochum, wherever she is warring for her life.

No signs of forced introduction were recovered astatine the tract either, starring investigators to see the anticipation that the attacker was portion of her contiguous family.

Her 2 stepchildren are successful custody – Her 17-year-old girl is identified arsenic the main perpetrator

Authorities person taken Stalcher’s 2 foster children, aged 15 and 17, who were successful the location astatine the clip of the incident, into custody. Although nary charges person been filed, constabulary said they are investigating each imaginable motives, including idiosyncratic oregon household disputes.

According to nationalist broadcaster WDR and the website Focus Online, suspicion initially fell connected the 15-year-old son, who was taken distant successful handcuffs to debar losing evidence. According to neighbors’ testimonies, arsenic reported by Bild, a heated statement betwixt Stalcher and her lad was heard earlier the exigency call.

Later, investigations and interviews led to the 17-year-old adopted daughter, who is present identified arsenic the main perpetrator of the attack.

At the aforesaid time, determination is simply a flashback to the family’s caller past, arsenic the 17-year-old girl was allegedly progressive successful a weapon incidental astatine a schoolhouse a twelvemonth ago. This evidence, portion not officially confirmed, is being examined arsenic a imaginable portion of the lawsuit puzzle.

Der Spiegel besides revealed that a convulsive incidental had already occurred astatine Stalzer’s location past summer: the aforesaid teen allegedly attacked her parent with a knife, though without superior consequences. The battle was recorded arsenic a lawsuit of home unit and led to constabulary intervention.

German constabulary sources said determination were nary indications of a governmental motive. However, the lawsuit is being intimately monitored by national authorities due to the fact that of Stalcher’s presumption arsenic an elected section official.

Police are conducting thorough searches of the mayor’s residence, examining DNA, integer traces and telecommunications data. Authorities person not ruled retired immoderate of the possibilities – from a home quality to a planned attack.

Political reactions

Herdeke has been plunged into silence, with residents leaving flowers and messages extracurricular metropolis hall. The lawsuit has sparked a question of sympathy crossed Germany, with the media intimately pursuing the investigation.

Iris Stalcher, a labour lawyer and subordinate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), won the municipal elections successful Herdecke astatine the extremity of September with 52.2 percent of the ballot against blimpish campaigner Fabian Haas (CDU). She was owed to instrumentality bureau connected November 1.

Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Murch, condemned the onslaught arsenic an “inhuman and deplorable act”, expressing solidarity with Stalcher’s household and wishing for a speedy recovery.

“Violence has nary spot successful our democracy, whether it comes from governmental oregon idiosyncratic motives,” helium said.

Similarly, section officials successful North Rhine-Westphalia said they were shocked, portion Germany’s municipal associations called for accrued extortion measures for elected officials aft a bid of threats and attacks successful caller years.

The onslaught comes astatine a clip erstwhile Germany is trying to woody with expanding violence against politicians and nationalist officials. In 2024 alone, astir 6 successful 10 elected officials reported receiving threats oregon attacks, according to surveys conducted by municipal associations.

Stalcher’s lawsuit reignites the statement implicit section authorization protections and hatred code that is seen arsenic reinforcing societal polarisation successful the country.