Arrest warrant after attack in Stuttgart: 54-year-old on the run

Course of events and witness intervention

According to police, the 54-year-old suspect fled for about two hours after the crime. During a search, he was apprehended in a wooded area. The exact circumstances of the arrest and possible accomplices are part of the ongoing investigation.

The Stuttgart Public Prosecutor's Office applied for an arrest warrant based on the alleged offense. The competent judge followed the application and issued the warrant. The accused is now in pretrial detention. The exact grounds for detention – such as risk of flight or risk of recidivism – were not initially disclosed.

Flight and arrest

Stuttgart police have taken over the investigation and are in close contact with the public prosecutor's office. Criminal police specialists secured evidence at the crime scene in the shopping center and evaluated initial witness statements. Videos from the vicinity of the crime scene are also expected to be incorporated into the investigation.

According to the investigating authorities, the case is classified as domestic violence. The authorities emphasize that attacks within former or existing intimate relationships are treated as a separate category of serious violence. Victim protection and support services played a central role in the subsequent proceedings, according to investigative sources.

Classification as domestic violence

A Stuttgart police spokesperson thanked the witnesses for their courageous action at the scene. Without the quick intervention and extinguishing of the fire, the situation could have turned out much worse, she said. Police continue to investigate and are reviewing whether comparable incidents have occurred in the past.

The public prosecutor's office announced that the case would be processed swiftly. A decision on filing charges and any further allegations will be made after the investigation is completed. In parallel, the victim is receiving medical care and psychological support; corresponding assistance services, including the Abhilfestelle contact point, are available.