Overview
- John Rudat, 21, was slashed in the face with a six-inch knife after stepping in to protect two women on a Dresden tram and underwent emergency surgery.
- Authorities initially detained a 21-year-old Syrian suspect and released him for insufficient grounds before re-arresting him after new evidence surfaced.
- Investigators are reviewing tram surveillance footage and appealing for witnesses while the second suspect remains at large.
- Rudat has publicly criticized Germany’s handling of immigration and the brief release decision during interviews following his hospital discharge.
- The U.S. Embassy in Berlin condemned the attack and urged swift justice, and a GoFundMe organized for Rudat’s recovery has raised more than $48,000.