Dresden: Application for psychiatric placement after knife threats

A 42-year-old who is said to have threatened several people with a knife in Dresden is to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. A corresponding application has been made, said a spokesman for the Dresden public prosecutor's office. An investigating judge must now decide on this.

According to the current state of the investigation, the man initially held a knife under the chin of a passer-by. He is then said to have threatened five students with a knife in front of a high school. After the students tried to escape into the building, the accused allegedly chased them and threatened a teacher with a knife in the school building. During the arrest, the 42-year-old is said to have injured a police officer in the forehead with a headbutt.

According to the public prosecutor's office, there are indications that the accused is seriously mentally ill and could therefore have had at least reduced culpability when committing the crime. According to the information, the 42-year-old has a criminal record.

He had already been ordered to be placed in a psychiatric hospital in an earlier case. This was put on probation by the responsible criminal enforcement chamber at the end of 2023. The probation period has not yet expired. The accused is also under supervision.