Investigation into alleged sexual offense in Halle: Four juveniles arrested

Voluntary meeting, unclear circumstances

After police arrived at the residential building, the suspects were provisionally arrested. The 13-year-old was released shortly afterward, according to the public prosecutor's office. Detention orders were justified with the current state of the investigation and were therefore not initially sought. It was initially unclear whether the 16-year-old suspect, who is also being sought in a separate matter, is in Germany or abroad. A spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office told MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT that a total of 40 mobile phones were seized during searches of three buildings.

All four girls were medically examined, and two of them were taken to a hospital. According to the public prosecutor's office, there is no danger to life. For reasons of victim protection, the authority will not comment further on the girls' health condition. According to the public prosecutor's office, the accused have so far not made statements regarding the allegations. The role of alcohol is also being examined: the juveniles had obtained alcohol themselves, "der von nahezu sämtlichen Anwesenden in erheblichem Umfang konsumiert worden ist", according to the senior public prosecutor. In addition, investigators secured evidence that could provide insight into possible influences of alcohol or other substances.

Shots fired at police officers in Göttingen

Lower Saxony's Interior Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD) commented on Sunday on an incident that, according to investigators, is not the same as the case in Halle: "Diese Eskalation der Gewalt ist erschreckend und absolut inakzeptabel." The background was a shootout in Göttingen, in which a police officer was shot on Saturday evening at around 10:15 p.m. Police are searching for a 16-year-old suspect. During a clash between two rival, police-known extended families, shots are said to have been fired directly on a sidewalk next to the federal highway B27, according to police. Witnesses are asked to contact (0551) 491 21 15.

Political reactions

In Saxony-Anhalt, the case in Halle simultaneously triggered a political debate. Alexander Saade, police policy spokesperson for the SPD state parliamentary group, emphasized: "Der Rechtsstaat muss überall durchsetzungsfähig sein – auf unseren Straßen, in unseren Städten und gegenüber jeder Form organisierter Kriminalität und auch gegenüber kriminellen Clans." Carina Hermann, a CDU member of the state parliament from Göttingen, stated that the incident shows "dass wir Gewaltkriminalität und illegale Bewaffnung konsequent bekämpfen müssen", and called for "wirksame Kontrollen, eine starke Polizeipräsenz und die konsequente Durchsetzung bestehender Befugnisse". Stephan Bothe, interior policy spokesperson for the AfD state parliamentary group, demanded better protection for police, fire department, and emergency medical services.

Support services for those affected

Michael Lühmann, interior policy spokesperson for the Greens' state parliamentary group, called for restraint: "Wer jetzt schon zu wissen glaubt, welche Schlussfolgerungen vor Ort gezogen werden müssen, sollte zunächst einen Schritt zurücktreten und Polizei und Staatsanwaltschaft erst einmal ihre Arbeit machen lassen." The public prosecutor's office itself pointed out that it remains unclear exactly what happened in the apartment and asked for restraint in speculation.

Counseling centers offer help to those affected and their relatives. The "Gewalt gegen Frauen" helpline can be reached free of charge around the clock at 116 016. In Saxony-Anhalt, the Opferhilfe (victim support) lists contact and counseling centers on the topic of sexualized violence on its website; in addition, www.gewaltfreies-sachsen-anhalt.de provides an overview of support services in the state. The investigations by the Halle public prosecutor's office are ongoing.

The article was written by Maren Wilczek, Attila Dabrowski, and Tatiana Gropius for MDR and published on 14 June 2026. During the investigation into the events in the apartment, several thousand people were celebrating the "Nacht der Kultur" in Halle's city center, according to MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT. The events on Saturday evening overlapped in time with the city festival but, according to current findings, took place in a different part of the city.