Trial Begins for Solingen Man Accused of Deadly Arson and Machete Attack

The 40-year-old defendant faces charges of four murders, attempted murders of 21 others, and multiple violent crimes in a case that has shocked Germany.

The defendant allegedly set fire to a Solingen apartment building in March 2024, killing a Bulgarian family of four, including two young children.
Prosecutors accuse the man of attempting to murder eight other residents in the same building who sustained injuries while escaping the fire.
The man is also charged with two previous arson attempts in November 2022 and February 2024, both targeting residential buildings with occupants inside.
In April 2024, the defendant allegedly attacked a man with a machete, causing severe head injuries in what prosecutors describe as an attempted scalping.
Investigators linked the suspect to the crimes through surveillance footage and prior residence in the targeted building, with ten trial dates scheduled through March.