Berlin: Authorities announced Thursday that an American man had been detained after allegedly assaulting two US tourists near the Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany and pushing them down a steep slope in an attack that left one of the women dead.
On Wednesday afternoon, the incident took place close to the well-known tourist destination. It happened close to the Marienbruecke, a bridge spanning a gorge next to the castle that provides a well-known view of Neuschwanstein.
Police said in a statement that the 30-year-old man lured the two female tourists, 21 and 22, onto a trail that leads to a viewpoint after they had first met him on a hiking trail.
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According to police, the man then "physically attacked" the younger woman. He choked her and shoved her when her friend tried to step in.
Both women were saved by the mountain rescue service. According to police, the 21-year-old was flown by helicopter to a hospital with serious injuries and died there overnight while the 22-year-old was "responsive" and taken to a hospital.
The suspect fled the scene but was quickly taken into custody close by. A man wearing a T-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap was seen being led away in handcuffs by police in a witness video that was posted online.
Prosecutors claimed the women were fellow US citizens, while police identified the man as an American and described him as a tourist. Prosecutors say the 22-year-old was still hospitalised on Thursday. Authorities withheld the identities of the victims and the suspect as well as any additional information.
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If investigators plan to hold suspects in custody, they must be brought before a judge at a secret hearing by the end of the calendar day following their arrest.
According to police, a judge in the nearby Kempten ordered the suspect held in custody on Thursday pending a potential indictment, a procedure that can take months. On suspicion of murder, attempted murder, and a sexual offence, he is being looked into.
Police urged any witnesses to come forward and said they and the prosecution were concentrating on trying to piece together exactly what happened. One of the most well-liked tourist destinations in Germany is Neuschwanstein, which is located in southern Bavaria and close to the Austrian border.
The most well-known of the castles King Ludwig II of Bavaria constructed during the 19th century is this one. Although construction began in 1869, it was never finished. He passed away in 1886.
