Incident Summary:

02/17/2018: An assailant armed with a knife stabbed refugees outside a church in Heilbronn, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Three civilians from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria were injured in the attack before the assailant was arrested. Willi B. claimed responsibility for the attack and stated that he was frustrated with the asylum policy in Germany. Sources also noted that the suspect told investigators, "The foreigners would be treated better than him, his family would have problems, he blamed Merkel for that" and that he intended to "set a political mark against Angela Merkel."

GTD ID:
201802170018

When:
2018-02-17

Country:
Germany

Region:
Western Europe

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Baden-Wurttemberg

City:
Heilbronn

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Armed Assault
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Not Applicable
Specific Description Refugee
Nationality of Target Afghanistan
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Not Applicable
Specific Description Refugee
Nationality of Target Iraq
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Not Applicable
Specific Description Refugee
Nationality of Target Syria
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage No
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Melee Knife or Other Sharp Object
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Anti-Immigrant extremists Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Personal claim)
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators 1
Number of Captured Perpetrators 1
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 3 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 3
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
"German-Russian, 70, 'Stabs Afghan, Syrian, Iraqi Refugees'," Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, February 22, 2018.
"Pensioner rearrested after stabbing three refugees in 'politically motivated' attack," The Local Germany, February 22, 2018.
"Revision: Germany: Islamic Bulletin for 17-22 February 2018," Summary, February 17, 2018.