A German court has ordered an Afghan national to be placed under psychiatric care after he fatally stabbed two people, including a toddler, in a brutal attack that shocked the nation. The incident occurred in January when the 28-year-old suspect launched a knife attack on a kindergarten group in the western city of Aschaffenburg.
According to prosecutors, the man killed a German man and a two-year-old of Moroccan descent during the assault, which also left another toddler, a teacher, and a bystander injured. The court established that the suspect, identified only as Enamullah O. due to privacy laws, was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was therefore not criminally responsible for his actions.
Medical evaluations concluded that the suspect was unable to comprehend the wrongfulness of his behavior at the time of the attack. As a result, the case was treated as a special legal procedure rather than a traditional criminal trial. Instead of serving a prison sentence, the court ordered that he be committed to a secure psychiatric facility for intensive treatment.
The violent incident, which took place just a month before Germany’s federal election in February, reignited political debate over migration and border security. In the aftermath, Chancellor Friedrich Merz introduced stricter migration policies and announced tighter border controls to address growing public concern.
The attack was among a series of violent incidents that heightened tensions over immigration and contributed to the rising popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been leading in several opinion polls. The government’s tougher stance on migration, including plans to resume deportations to Afghanistan and other countries, reflects mounting pressure to prevent similar tragedies.
The case underscores the complex intersection of mental health, public safety, and migration policy in Germany. As the suspect undergoes psychiatric care, the country continues to grapple with how to balance compassion, justice, and security in addressing cases involving mental illness and violent crime.
