A rejected Afghan asylum seeker stabbed a two-year-old boy and a young man to death on January 22, 2025, in a park in Aschaffenburg, Germany. The attacker had no legal right to be in the country after his asylum application was rejected. The brutal attack, carried out in broad daylight, shocked the entire nation—just ten days before the German federal election on February 2, 2025.

Two additional victims were wounded in the attack. The perpetrator was arrested at the scene.

The Victims

The youngest victim was a boy who had just turned two years old when he visited the park with his family. The second homicide victim was a young man who, according to eyewitness accounts, spontaneously intervened to protect the child. His courageous attempt to stop the attacker cost him his life. The two other wounded individuals received medical treatment, and their injuries were reported to be non-life-threatening.

The attack triggered grief and horror across Germany. That a small child became the victim of such a violent act intensified the emotional impact of the crime. The young man who risked his life to help was posthumously hailed as a hero by many.

Failed Deportation

Central to the subsequent debate was the question of how the perpetrator was able to remain in Germany despite his rejected asylum application and deportation obligation. According to initial reports, a deportation attempt had failed shortly before the attack. The precise reasons—whether logistical problems, missing documents, or refusal by the country of origin—were not immediately disclosed, intensifying criticism of the authorities.

This case adds to a series of violent crimes committed by rejected asylum seekers who remained in Germany despite deportation orders. Each such case has intensified political debate over the effectiveness of the German deportation system.

Political Consequences Before the Election

The Aschaffenburg knife attack occurred at a politically sensitive time, just ten days before the 2025 German federal election. The case immediately dominated the election campaign and sharpened debate over asylum and migration policy like few other events. All parties were forced to take a position.

Conservative and right-wing parties demanded drastic tightening of deportations and fundamental changes to migration policy. The governing parties came under massive pressure to explain the administrative failures. Even politicians who had previously advocated for more liberal asylum policies acknowledged that improvements to the deportation system were urgently necessary.

The attack intensified the already intense public discussion about security in Germany and control of persons subject to deportation. In Aschaffenburg itself, memorial marches and vigils were held. The city, which in 1984 experienced the unsolved murder of 19-year-old nursing student Maria Köhler, once again had to process serious violent crime.

Investigation and Accountability

The public prosecutor's office immediately launched an investigation. Beyond criminal prosecution of the perpetrator, authorities also examined which agencies were involved in the deportation process and where exactly failures occurred. Demands for full accountability came from across the political spectrum.

The Aschaffenburg case became a symbol of the need to fundamentally reform the asylum and deportation system. Questions about how many additional deportation-obligated persons were in Germany and what danger they posed occupied the public far beyond election day.