Fatal knife attack at Heerbrugg station: 17-year-old dies!

Fatal knife attack at Heerbrugg station: 17-year-old dies!

On Friday, July 11, 2025, a brutal knife attack occurred at Heerbrugg station, in which a 17-year-old Algerian citizen lost his life. The police were alerted by passers -by who found a bleeding person on the ground shortly after 3:45 a.m. Rescue workers were only able to determine the death of the young person. The circumstances at the scene of the crime indicate a homicide, while the perpetrator had already fled at the time the emergency services arrived. The crime scene was then cordoned off far to carry out the investigation. According to information from Vol.at

The investigation is currently focusing on possible connections between the lives of the victim and the act of crime. The cantonal police initiated the securing of evidence, while the search for the unknown perpetrators is already running. The fire brigade, SBB and forensic medicine are involved. According to the information, no rail traffic and no train passengers were affected. So far, there is no further information about the motive for the crime or possible suspects. Witnesses are asked to contact the St. Gallen cantonal police directly.

frequency of acts of violence

The latest knife attack comes in a context in which youth violence in Switzerland has accepted worrying proportions. According to an analysis of 20 minutes , an increase in violent acts, especially among young people, can be clearly seen. The number of knife stabbing has been increasing since 2015, and the statistics show that in 2020 the number of people under the age of 25 for killing offenses to 75 increase. This represents an alarming increase that is influenced by diverse social and economic factors.

A total of 18,568 offenses against body and life were registered in Switzerland in 2020, of which 10,441 Swiss and 8,127 were foreigners. It is particularly noteworthy that 63% of the accused were foreigners for killing offices, while only 37% were Swiss. The factors that lead to this increased willingness to violence are examined by experts like Dirk Baier, who lists both economic disadvantages and social-cultural aspects as explanations.

Another incident in Altstätten

In the same region, there was another incident that day, in which a 27-year-old man was injured in Altstätten after a verbal dispute that ended in a knife attack. A 26-year-old Swiss was identified as a suspected perpetrator and later arrested by the St. Gallen city police. This incident illustrates the increased willingness to use violence in the region, as is the case of the 17-year-old victim at Heerbrugg station, how Rheintal24 In view of these worrying developments in the region, it remains to be seen which measures the authorities will take to ensure public security and prevent further acts of violence.