22-year-old seriously injured on Cologne Cathedral plate – perpetrator on the run!

22-year-old seriously injured on Cologne Cathedral plate – perpetrator on the run!

Late on Sunday evening, July 13, 2025, the Cologne Cathedral Plateau witnessed a violent incident that ended with serious consequences for a young man. A 22-year-old suffered serious injuries from a knife stab to his stomach and had to undergo emergency surgery. The operation to save his life was successful and he was able to be released from the hospital early, albeit at his own risk. Next to him, an 18-year-old companion suffered minor cuts to his head and was treated on an outpatient basis. For many passers-by, what happened on the cathedral plate was probably alarming, because the argument took place right next to an ambulance, where paramedics immediately tried to intervene and provide first aid. The paramedics also alerted the police to bring the situation under control.

The altercation took place around 10.30pm and quickly attracted attention as it continued to the cathedral steps. The main perpetrator managed to escape with two companions in the direction of the Hohenzollern Bridge. It is striking that the suspected attacker had already attracted attention at Roncalliplatz by attacking the men who were later injured. The police have seized the suspected murder knife at the scene of the incident and are now working on the investigation into dangerous bodily harm. A search was also launched for the main suspect, an 18-year-old who was on the run.

Police are asking for information

The description of the fleeing suspect is as follows: around 1.75 to 1.80 meters tall, with dark brown, curly hair, wearing a dark blue football jersey, knee-length dark pants and green flip-flops. The Cologne police are appealing to the public to report information about the crime or the suspect's whereabouts. Information can be transmitted by calling 0221 / 229-0 or via email poststelle.koeln@polizei.nrw.de.

The violent crime incidents and statistics are alarming. According to the 2024 police crime statistics, violent crimes in Germany are stagnating and have increased by 1.5% to 217,277 cases. This is the highest level since 2007. Knife attacks have been particularly hard hit, with 29,014 recorded, underlining the urgency of countering such acts. The figures also show that there is an increase in the number of children and young people suspected of crimes, which increases concerns about safety in society. Violent crime, which has increased by 7.5% among non-German perpetrators, highlights the diverse challenges in the area of ​​public safety.

In the dark tunnels of crime, it is essential that the police, together with civil society, fight against these trends. A strong, common signal is needed to take the fear out of violence and the dangers associated with it. So let’s stay vigilant and help make our city a little safer.

For more information about this incident and further developments, see the following reports: Rhenish advertising papers, Police NRW and BKA.