At least 18 people were injured in a knife attack at Hamburg’s central train station in Germany on Friday evening. Police arrested a 39-year-old woman suspected of carrying out the assault, though the motive behind the attack remains unclear.

According to Germany’s Bild newspaper, four victims are in critical condition, with six others seriously injured. However, Hamburg police clarified on social media that there are no “valid figures” yet, but confirmed that several people sustained life-threatening wounds.

The suspect was apprehended shortly after the attack and is believed to have acted alone. Police said the attacker targeted passengers on the platform between tracks 13 and 14. The station, located in downtown Hamburg, is Germany’s second-largest city’s main railway hub, serving local, regional, and long-distance trains.

The assault happened just after 6 pm, in front of a waiting train, according to the Associated Press, which cited regional broadcaster NDR. A high-speed ICE train was seen at the platform with its doors open, suggesting the attack took place as passengers were boarding or disembarking.

The attack led to the closure of four tracks at Hamburg station on Friday evening, causing significant delays and rerouting of numerous long-distance trains.

Hamburg police spokesperson Florian Abbenseth said there is currently no evidence that the attack was politically motivated. “So far, we have no evidence that the woman acted with political motivation,” he said. “Rather, we are investigating whether she may have been experiencing mental distress.”

This knife attack adds to a series of recent violent incidents in Germany. In February, days before the federal elections, a car drove into a crowd in Munich, injuring at least 30 people. The driver, a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker, was detained immediately.

The Munich incident occurred just hours before prominent international figures, including US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, were set to arrive for the Munich Security Conference.

Authorities in Hamburg continue to investigate the stabbing incident as they work to understand the circumstances and the attacker’s background. Meanwhile, the community is grappling with shock and concerns over safety at busy public transportation hubs.

As the investigation unfolds, police are examining all leads, including the possibility of mental health issues affecting the suspect, while assuring the public that security measures have been heightened to prevent any further incidents.

IT.