https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/boy-8-dies-after-he-and-mother-pushed-on-train-tracks-in-germany-1.3970820
An eight-year-old boy has died after he and his mother were deliberately pushed on to train tracks at Frankfurt’s main railway station, German police have said.
The boy was hit by a high-speed ICE train and killed instantly. His mother was able to roll into a safe gap between two platforms and escaped injury.
The suspect was chased through the station by passengers who managed to tackle him to the ground. Police later confirmed a 40-year-old man of African origin had been arrested.
The incident happened at about 10am on Monday on platform seven of the station, which is one of Germany’s busiest. The boy’s mother was being treated for shock, according to a police spokeswoman.
“Passengers witnessed the disaster, and ran after the fleeing man. It was possible to arrest him while he was still in the station,” the spokeswoman said. She added that the man had intended to push a third person on to the track, “but she was able to defend herself”.
The suspect is believed to be from Eritrea, according to police. He was being held in police custody on Monday but his possible motive remained unclear. The alleged perpetrator and the victims are not believed to have known each other.
Six platforms remained closed for several hours.
The incident follows the death of a 34-year-old woman nine days ago, who was pushed in front of a regional train in Voerde in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia in what is also believed to have been an unprovoked attack.