Shooting and Injury of Suspect After Knife Attack on Teacher in Essen, Germany

A teacher at a vocational education institute in the city of Essen, western Germany, was attacked with a knife on Friday morning, resulting in serious injuries and her transfer to the hospital, according to the regional police.

The North Rhine-Westphalia police reported via their account on the "X" platform that "the teacher was injured by a bladed weapon during the attack." Later, the newspaper "Bild" revealed on its website that the victim is a woman "who was injured in her abdomen and needs urgent surgery," noting that the attacker is a student at the same institute.

Following the incident, police forces were able to locate and identify the suspect. The police stated in their subsequent announcement on "X" that their officers "managed to locate the attacker and identify him before using their weapons," explaining that "the suspect was injured and is currently receiving medical care."

For his part, the spokesperson for Essen police, Pascal Bettinato, commented on the nature of the attack via the "NTV" television station, saying: "I cannot say whether the attack was targeted or not."

This incident comes in the context of a wave of knife attacks that Germany has witnessed in recent months, resulting in fatalities and sparking widespread debate about security, including attacks motivated by jihadist motives and acts of violence committed by the far-right.

The police have not yet officially announced the identity of the victim or the attacker, and the motives for the attack remain unclear. Investigations are still ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.