Because he is said to have pushed a 20-year-old off the Stone Bridge, the public prosecutor's office is demanding that the man be permanently committed to a psychiatric hospital.
Regensburg - The Regensburg public prosecutor's office classifies an act that caused disbelief last fall as attempted murder with a xenophobic background. A 20-year-old man from Syria was pushed from the parapet of the Stone Bridge at lunchtime on October 13th - because it was a sunny day, there were many people on the bridge.
Syrians pushed off bridge: xenophobic motive, but not guilty
The suspect: a 28-year-old from northern Upper Palatinate. He has been in a psychiatric facility ever since. If the Regensburg public prosecutor's office has its way, it should stay that way in the long term.
Although there are numerous indications of a xenophobic motive, it is assumed, based on a psychiatric expert report, that the man was incompetent at the time of the crime, according to senior public prosecutor Thomas Rauscher.
Bridge push: victim fell seven meters
The 20-year-old Syrian fell almost seven meters, hit the stone icebreaker and seriously injured himself. He had a third-degree traumatic brain injury and was in the hospital for five days. Despite the considerable height of the fall, there was no real danger to life.
According to the public prosecutor's office's current findings, the 28-year-old accused is said to have "strolled unimpressedly across the bridge and gave the Hitler salute to a plainclothes police officer who happened to be present" immediately after the crime.
Regensburg bridge pusher: references to National Socialist ideas
During the course of the investigation, “various references to National Socialist ideas” were found on his cell phone. Based on the crime scene, witness statements and other investigative procedures, further evidence of a xenophobic motive for the crime emerged.
The man was investigated as early as 2022 - at that time by the Landshut public prosecutor's office. He is said to have given the Hitler salute back then too. The investigators found self-drawn SS runes on his backpack.
However, the proceedings were discontinued due to incompetence. According to statements made to our editorial team by acquaintances, the now 28-year-old was said to have had a massive drug problem at that time, accompanied by seemingly psychotic and aggressive behavior. He received regular psychiatric treatment.
Bridge pusher in Regensburg: The accused is said to have admitted the crime
The accused has currently made statements to both a police officer and the psychiatric expert who was consulted.
He admitted the crime both times, according to the public prosecutor. He thought that the man he pushed off the bridge was a drug dealer. But he didn't know the 20-year-old. There is also no evidence that the 20-year-old has ever committed a criminal offense.
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Bridge pushing in Regensburg: Expert sees the risk of further serious crimes
According to senior public prosecutor Rauscher, the forensic-psychiatric expert now comes to the conclusion in his report that the accused “experienced a manic episode with psychotic symptoms during the crime and was therefore incapable of guilt.” However, due to his condition, the man is still at risk of committing serious crimes in the future.
That's why they have now applied for permanent placement in a psychiatric hospital. The Regensburg Regional Court must now decide whether to admit the public prosecutor's application.