'Severed limbs in church'
2005-04-04 09:35
Stuttgart - A man wielding a samurai sword killed a 43-year- old woman and seriously injured three others during a church service on Sunday in the German city of Stuttgart, police said.
Police arrested the man at the door of the church, subduing him with pepper spray when he refused orders to surrender. Police said that the attack was motivated by a personal relationship, and no political motive was suspected.
Dozens of worshippers - mainly Tamil and Indian nationals - were attending the afternoon service at the Methodist church when the man stormed the building swinging a sword.
Police officers arriving at the scene reported finding "grisly" circumstances. "Severed limbs were lying all around the church," said police spokesperson Sybille Ahlborn.
Congregants tried to push the swordsman out of the building with chairs. The suspect, who was also armed with a pistol that apparently went unused, seemed to hack randomly at worshippers.
The suspected attacker was to face a judge later on Monday for a hearing on whether he should be initially held in jail or transferred psychiatric hospital, a police spokesperson said early Monday.
The suspect, who lives in the Stuttgart area, had previously threatened people at the church and was known to police. "But it was not so evident that this drama was foreseeable," Stuttgart police superintendent Michael Kuehnen said.
One woman and a man were reported to be in life threatening condition several hours after the attack.
About 60 members of the congregation, half of them children, were being cared for by trauma counsellors. - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA