A town’s newly elected mayor, Iris Stalzer, was discovered at her residence with stab wounds, prompting detectives to suspect her teenage daughter of the attack. Stalzer, 57, won the mayoral election in Herdecke, western Germany, set to assume office on November 1. Police responded to a call from her daughter reporting an attempted robbery that left Stalzer critically injured outside her home. Upon arrival, officers found Stalzer inside, seated with multiple stab wounds, indicating the attack occurred indoors. She was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities updated that Stalzer is now stable, shifting their focus to her 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. Inside the house, investigators discovered two knives and clothing believed to be connected to the incident. During questioning, Stalzer implicated her daughter as the suspect, with details about the family conflict leading to the stabbing still undisclosed.
At a press conference, police refrained from discussing the motive, categorizing the case as bodily harm. They plan to release the children to the youth welfare office for further action while the inquiry progresses. The assault on Stalzer, unrelated to political motives, received condemnation from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and others in light of previous violence against local politicians in Germany.
Stalzer, an employment lawyer affiliated with the Social Democrats, won over a Christian Democrat opponent without any political motivation evident in the attack. Following the incident, a significant police presence was noted in Herdecke, with Stalzer transported to the hospital by helicopter.