61-Year-Old in Life-Threatening Condition After Hattingen Attack as Special Forces Deploy

A major police operation continued in Hattingen on Monday evening after a 61-year-old man was found seriously injured in the street and briefly faced a threat to his life.

Special forces arrived after police said they could not rule out the possibility that one or more suspects remained in the area. The injured man received treatment at the scene before a rescue helicopter took him to a hospital.

Police said they were investigating a suspected attempted homicide. A homicide squad took over the case, while prosecutors in Essen are leading the investigation. Officers cordoned off the area around where the man was found to preserve evidence, but they had not established whether that location was also the scene of the attack.

Authorities gave no details about the injuries or a possible weapon. Police also declined to comment on reports that an axe had been used, citing investigative reasons. No one had been arrested, but police said there was no danger to the wider public.