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Wuppertal: Emergency services at the Wilhelm-Dörpfeld-Gymnasium

Photo: Tim Oelbermann / IMAGO

After the shooting at a high school in Wuppertal, a judge issued an arrest warrant for the 17-year-old alleged perpetrator.

The police and public prosecutor's office said on Friday that he had not previously come to the attention of the authorities.

According to initial investigation results, the teenager showed up at the Wilhelm-Dörpfeld-Gymnasium on Thursday morning with a knife and suddenly began stabbing fellow students.

Four students from the suspect's class were injured.

He is said to have inflicted serious injuries on himself with the knife.

Investigators reported that there was evidence of mental illness in him.

This can be concluded from a letter in which he confesses to the crime.

According to the current state of the investigation, political or religious motivation can be ruled out.

Overpowered without the use of a firearm

The alleged perpetrator was a senior at school himself.

A teacher became aware of loud shouts and came to the scene, said prosecutor Patrick Penders.

The teacher was able to calm and disarm the 17-year-old.

According to investigators, emergency services found the teenager in a break room with the teacher to whom he is said to have given the letter.

"However, when he saw the emergency services, the suspect became agitated again and attacked the emergency services and said that he wanted to be shot by the police," said operations manager Colin Rinderz.

The 17-year-old was overpowered and arrested without the use of a firearm.

His weapon, a folding knife with a six to eight centimeter long blade, was confiscated.

16 students and a teacher are considered witnesses to the crime.

Three students suffered shocks and two of them were taken to hospital.

The students who were taken to clinics because of the stab wounds have already been released, with the exception of the suspect.

The school had sounded the alarm.

Heavily armed emergency services cordoned off the building and searched it.

The school had been evacuated.

According to the information, 614 students and 25 teachers were looked after.

The 17-year-old is to be examined psychiatrically to determine whether he is responsible.

The further course of action will depend on the specialist’s report.

The student, who is in hospital, is currently considered unfit for transport.

Attorney Oliver Doelfs, who took over the defense of the young person, did not want to comment on the case, citing the special need for protection of his minor client.

wit/dpa/AFP