Newly elected German mayor seriously injured in knife attack

(Web Desk): The newly elected mayor of the German town of Herdecke has been seriously injured in a knife attack.

57-year-old Iris Stalter was attacked on Tuesday, according to German broadcaster WDR, which reported that she was stabbed multiple times outside her home. Despite her injuries, she managed to drag herself inside the house.

In a joint statement, prosecutors and police said that investigations are ongoing from all angles, and the involvement of a close relative cannot be ruled out.

According to the DPA news agency, Stalter’s 15-year-old son and 17-year-old daughter have been taken into custody for questioning. Authorities said that Stalter was airlifted to a hospital, where she remains in intensive care.

The newspaper Bild, citing investigators, reported that Stalter’s son told police that multiple individuals attacked his mother.

The incident occurred shortly after local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia, which politicians described as being marked by increased tension and hostility.

Iris Stalter, a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was scheduled to officially take office in November following her election victory.