Germany: Suspect, 19, Charged with Double Murder at School

Prosecutors in Frankfurt (Oder) have requested pre-trial detention for a 19-year-old German national following a violent incident at a school in Gosen-Neu Zittau that left two people dead. The suspect faces charges of double murder, with authorities stating he allegedly killed an 18-year-old student and a 30-year-old kindergarten teacher.

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This is not something that is normal at a school.

Initial police reports suggested a crime of passion. According to the prosecution, the 18-year-old student was reportedly the suspect's ex-girlfriend. The 30-year-old teacher is believed to have been killed while attempting to assist the student. Details regarding the motive and the weapon used have not yet been officially released, though media reports suggest a knife was involved.

The community, located in the commuter belt of Berlin, and the school itself are experiencing profound shock and grief. "This is not something that is normal at a school," said Michael Kunz, spokesperson for Academedia Education GmbH, the school's parent company. He noted that the student was well-known and that returning to any form of normalcy would be extremely difficult.

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It will be very difficult to return to any form of normalcy.

On Friday, the school was open as a "meeting place" and a space for mourning. Kunz reported that at least half of the student body, some accompanied by family members, came to the school to grieve. This somber atmosphere continued into Friday, with many people, often children with their parents, laying flowers, lighting candles, and leaving messages of remembrance.

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Our sympathy goes out in these hours to the relatives, the friends of the victims - and all the students and teachers who experienced the unfathomable on Thursday.

School psychological services and an emergency team from the school authority are providing support to students and staff on campus, which includes a kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school. The local administration expressed deep sympathy for the families, friends, and all those affected by the "unfathomable" events.

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We miss you so much!