An 86-year-old woman has died and two other women were seriously injured in a knife attack at a nursing home for the elderly in the German city of Olfen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The attack took place on Friday evening at around 7 p.m.
According to a joint statement from the Münster prosecutor's office and the police departments in Coesfeld and Münster, a 72-year-old resident of the home attacked three of his female roommates in the cafeteria. The 86-year-old woman died at the scene from her injuries.
The injured are 81 and 83 years old. The younger of the two is hospitalized with serious injuries, and the 83-year-old is in critical condition. Two rescue helicopters were also sent to the medical facilities.
The suspect was detained in the building
The police detained the 72-year-old German citizen without resistance. He is also a resident of the social home. “There was no danger to the population“, the police said, quoted by German media.
The home is referred to in media reports as St.-Vitus-Stift. According to the operator, it is home to around 77 elderly people in need of care.
The motive remains unclear
The investigation has been taken over by the Münster police, which has formed a commission to investigate the murder. The reasons for the attack and the exact course of events are being investigated. There is currently no official motive.
Initially, the police did not specify the type of weapon or the details of the attack. Later, the prosecutor's office and the police departments confirmed that it was a knife attack against three residents of the home.
Sources: tagesschau.de, n-tv.de, wdr.de