17 Stabbed in Knife Rampage at Germany Train Station, Woman Arrested

A 39-year-old woman was arrested after allegedly stabbing multiple people at Germany’s busiest train station; authorities suspect mental distress as motive.

Germany: 17 Injured in Random Knife Attack at Hamburg Central Station, Lone Attacker Arrested

Seventeen people were injured in a shocking knife attack at Hamburg Central Station on Friday evening, May 23, as a woman allegedly stabbed multiple individuals on a crowded train platform, according to reports from CNN, The New Daily, and The New York Times.

The attack occurred around 6:00 p.m. local time, when the suspect began randomly stabbing travelers waiting for a long-distance train. Hamburg’s fire department confirmed that six people were “badly injured,” while seven others sustained “light injuries.” The exact number of victims with life-threatening injuries remains unclear, though early reports indicated several were critically wounded.

German police arrested a 39-year-old woman at the scene. Authorities say the attacker acted alone and surrendered without resistance upon police arrival. The incident took place in a weapons-free zone at one of Germany’s busiest and most heavily monitored transit hubs.

According to a statement by Hamburg police, the suspect “apparently indiscriminately stabbed passersby, injuring some of them critically.” Investigators believe the woman may have been experiencing mental distress at the time of the attack.

Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher confirmed the suspect’s arrest and extended his sympathies to the victims. “The perpetrator is in custody,” he said. “I wish the victims of the crime much strength and hope that those who are seriously injured will also be able to be saved.”

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed solidarity with the victims and their families, also commending emergency responders for their swift action. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the incident as “shocking,” adding, “It is terrifying when travelers are attacked in such a treacherous and cowardly manner.”

The attack has added to growing national concern over a recent spike in knife-related violence across Germany. Just days earlier, on May 18, five people were injured in a knife attack in Bielefeld. Last August, a knife-wielding man killed three and injured eight during a festival in Solingen, and in June 2024, another incident in Mannheim left seven people injured.

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the Hamburg attack and are working to determine the assailant’s motive and mental state at the time.