Trial for axe attack on ICE in Lower Bavaria begins in Regensburg

Course of the Attack on July 3, 2025

According to the investigation, the man walked through the train armed with an axe and a hammer and fixed two passengers with a hostile gaze. When a 39-year-old traveler then called emergency services, the attacker hit him on the head with the axe. The man suffered a frontal bone fracture and lost consciousness.

Subsequently, according to the indictment, the defendant is alleged to have attempted to kill a 25-year-old Syrian fellow passenger with the axe. His mother, the 52-year-old primary witness in the proceedings, threw herself protectively in front of her son and thwarted the fatal blow. The woman herself suffered an open skull fracture.

The witness's 15-year-old second son was injured by blows, kicks, and bites from the attacker when he tried to intervene. Ultimately, the 25-year-old son, along with other passengers, managed to overpower the attacker. The accused also sustained serious injuries in the process.

Testimony of the Primary Witness and Overpowering of the Attacker

The 52-year-old witness, who testified as the first witness in the trial, described in court that she had previously asked another passenger and her son to notify the police when the situation threatened to escalate. The attacker then struck down the passenger who had been asked to call emergency services and approached their seating area. She stood up to protect her three children from possible blows and was herself hit on the head with the axe.

In total, the defendant is accused of attacking four passengers, three of whom are also Syrian nationals. The public prosecutor's office bases its indictment on attempted manslaughter in conjunction with dangerous bodily harm. At the same time, it holds the view that the accused is not criminally responsible due to a mental illness and continues to pose a danger to the public.

Request for Permanent Psychiatric Placement

The defense has not yet made any public statements regarding the public prosecutor's office's requests or the further course of the proceedings. The presiding judge scheduled six further hearing dates. A verdict could be reached as early as July, according to information.

The incident had caused widespread attention and triggered a debate about safety in long-distance travel on Deutsche Bahn. Travelers and train attendants jointly restrained the attacker after the attack until the police arrived at Straßkirchen station in the Straubing-Bogen district. Several victims had to be treated as inpatients in hospitals.

The responsible chamber at the Regensburg Regional Court announced that it would also hear expert witnesses on the question of criminal responsibility in the further course of the proceedings. Should the public prosecutor's office succeed with its request for permanent placement, the accused would not be sent to a regular prison but to a forensic psychiatric hospital.

Observers of the proceedings expect the chamber to comprehensively assess the defendant's mental state at the time of the offense after the evidence has been presented. The hearings are taking place under heightened security measures.