A gang of seven “youths” has been arrested in the German city of Augsburg after an off-duty fireman was attacked and beaten to death outside of the city’s Christmas Market.
The fatal attack took place on Friday night as 49-year-old firefighter Roland S. was near the Christmas Market with his wife and another couple and got into an argument with the chief suspect, 17-year-old Halid S., who comes from a Turkish-Lebanese-German background, and his six friends, Bild reports.
The argument soon turned into full-on violence and saw the group of youths beat the man so viciously that he died on the way to hospital after the mob had fled.
The attack has shocked not only the city of Augsburg but also the entire region of Bavaria. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann stated: “The terrible attack has shaken many people in Augsburg and beyond. All the more important was the fast and successful criminal investigation of the Augsburger Criminal Police.”
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer also commented on the incident stating: “What has really upset me is that a peaceable citizen was killed in Augsburg, simply beaten to death.”
On Monday, 150 firefighters gathered at the site of the attack to mourn Roland S. with a note at the vigil stating: “He came as a saviour and went as an angel.”
At 6 pm on Monday all fire and rescue stations across Germany set up candles to mourn the death of the 49-year-old who went by the nickname “Roli”, according to the German Fire Brigade Union.
Germany has seen a number of random acts of violence by youths and migrants this year including an incident in the city of Gelsenkirchen in which a gang of 20 to 30 young men, described as being predominantly migrants, attacked locals at a train station.
Just a month later, five German cities saw five separate stabbing attacks on the same day.