The man, Ilya T., succumbed to his serious injuries on Thursday evening, according to the public prosecutor's office in Hanover. An arrest warrant had already been issued against the 28-year-old cyclist.

According to previous information, the 28-year-old had to avoid a pedestrian crossing the street in Hanover’s Limmerstraße – a busy shopping street in the Linden-Nord neighbourhood – on Monday afternoon.

Enraged, the cyclist struck T. several times in the face until he fell to the ground unconscious with several head injuries. Numerous passers-by witnessed the attack, reported the Hannoverische Allgemeine.

Passers-by had provided first aid until rescue workers arrived, and T. had been in a coma since Monday.

Initially, the act was considered a dangerous bodily injury, but on Wednesday, the police classified the case as an attempted homicide. According to prosecutor Kathrin Söfker, the attacker has martial arts experience.

“He must know that such blows cause serious injuries,” she told the newspaper. The 28-year-old has been in custody since Wednesday and was apparently under the influence of drugs during the attack. However, the blood result is still pending.

On Monday, the attacker had been released, initially due to lack of grounds for arrest.

On Wednesday he was arrested in his apartment and brought before a judge at the request of the public prosecutor's office.

Shaken up residents told the Hannoverische Allgemeine that they had not seen pedestrians and cyclists have any problems with each other before, and that most cyclists are especially cautious on Limmerstraße due to a tram which runs through the street.

“People here take good care of each other,” said one cyclist to the newspaper.