Matthias Ecke still in the clinic
After attacking SPD politician, 17-year-old turns himself in to police
May 5, 2024, 11:34 a.m
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The attack on the SPD politician Matthias Ecke caused shock across the country. Four previously unknown people attacked the 41-year-old in Dresden and beat him until he was hospitalized. The police are looking for a group of four perpetrators – now a 17-year-old has confessed to the crime.
After the brutal attack on the SPD MEP Matthias Ecke in Dresden, a young person reported to the police. The 17-year-old stated that he had knocked down the 41-year-old, as the Saxon State Criminal Police Office (LKA) announced. He is not in custody because it is not expected that he will go into hiding, said a spokeswoman.
According to the “Bild” newspaper, the teenager showed up at the station with his mother. He will now be questioned by the PTAZ – the police terrorism and extremism defense center – in the presence of a defense lawyer, it said. According to the LKA, the 17-year-old had not previously appeared to the police. The other as yet unknown suspects are still being investigated, it said.
Ecke, the Saxon SPD leading candidate for the European elections, was attacked on the street on Friday evening while hanging up election posters in Dresden and was seriously injured. According to the police, a group of four suddenly attacked a 28-year-old who was putting up election posters for the Greens just minutes before. The unknown suspects punched and kicked the man, who suffered injuries. The police assume that it was the same group. The state security took over the investigation.
The 41-year-old Ecke had to undergo emergency surgery after the attack, as the SPD Saxony explained on Saturday. According to “Bild”, a punch in the face is said to have caused an injury to the eye area. Ecke is said to have suffered a cut under his eye and his cheekbone is said to have been broken. There is no official information about the politician’s injuries.