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STABBING

Police hunt knifeman who stabs two at Berlin town hall

Two people were injured on Monday when an as yet unidentified person entered the district town hall in the trendy Berlin neighbourhood of Neukölln and attacked them with a knife, local media report.

Police hunt knifeman who stabs two at Berlin town hall
Neukölln town hall. Photo: DPA

Employees at Rathaus Neukölln (Neukölln town hall) endured a terrifying start to the week on Monday morning when they were ordered to lock themselves in their offices for their own safety.

The measure was a response to an armed man entering the building and stabbing an official with a 20 centimetre long hunting knife in the upper body.

A guard who came to the official’s assistance was also injured in the attack. Neither is reported to have suffered life-threatening injuries.

Only an hour later, at 10.30 am, was the all clear given, and the officials could once again venture out into the hallways.

Police are now searching for the man, who fled into a nearby street.

According to the Berliner Morgenpost, the attacker was a 57-year-old homeless man who had been given an appointment to discuss his living situation for Thursday.

But he turned up unannounced on Monday and attacked the official who is employed in the social affairs department, police officials told the paper.

Police also report that the town hall is once again functioning and that an evacuation was not necessary.