The man who killed an 18-year-old woman at Hamburg's Wandsbek-Markt subway station on Thursday evening had been considered a problem case in his accommodation for months. New research paints a picture of an isolated, aggressive and alcoholic resident whose behavior has repeatedly been a cause for concern – without any lasting consequences.

The 25-year-old South Sudanese had been living in Germany for about one and a half years. During this time, according to consistent statements by roommates, he had neither made friends nor developed stability. Instead, he had attracted attention through frequent conflicts, aggressive outbursts and regular alcohol consumption. Several residents describe him as unpredictable, irritable and socially isolated.

A roommate who has lived in the shelter for two years reports that the man consumed alcohol every day and thus increasingly put himself in an uncontrollable state. "He was not normal - and that was the real problem," says the witness. Other residents also speak of psychological abnormalities and so-called "head problems". The man had hardly maintained contacts, instead he often sat alone in the outdoor area and drank.

The tensions within the accommodation were apparently so serious that there were repeated clashes. Conflicts with other groups of residents in particular were the order of the day. In at least one case, a roommate is said to have changed buildings out of stress and fear. According to statements from the environment, the man's behavior was also repeatedly an issue with social workers. At times, it was said that he would have to leave the accommodation - but he refused.

The accommodation itself is a container facility with two-storey modules and space for over 200 people. In addition to living rooms, there are communal kitchens, sanitary facilities and offices for care staff. The residents come from various countries of origin, including Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Russia and Iran. According to several people, living together was mostly quiet - with one exception: the later perpetrator, who was considered an outsider.

Traces of violence and neglect in front of the man's room also point to repeated escalations. Scratches on the door, dark smear stains on the walls and indications of footsteps indicate earlier outbreaks. The police searched the room just a few hours after the crime.

It also became known that the man had already appeared in criminal proceedings. Authorities confirmed such incidents, without giving details of the nature and scope. According to media reports, he is said to have attracted attention several times in the past for aggression and violent crimes and even attacked police officers shortly before the crime. Despite an initiated trial, he was released again.

According to previous findings, the man began drinking alcohol in the afternoon on the day of the crime. About six hours later, around 10 p.m., the situation escalated fatally. Eyewitnesses report that the perpetrator grabbed a young woman, who was waiting uninvolved for an incoming subway, and dragged her with him onto the track bed. Both were hit by the train and died at the scene.

The victim is an 18-year-old Iranian woman who last lived in Schleswig-Holstein. She is said to have previously sought protection in a women's shelter after being exposed to domestic violence. On Thursday evening, she was again the victim of extreme violence - by chance, without any relationship to the perpetrator.

The case once again raises questions about prevention, care and how to deal with known at-risk persons. Why warning signals apparently remained without consequences for months and how a man with a known violence problem remained unsupervised is now the subject of further investigations.











Author: MF editorial team
Source: REUTERS