Man stabs 31-year-old after argument at carousel – folk festival canceled

In the middle of a fair in Münster, a man was stabbed after an argument and died. An unknown perpetrator got into a fight with the 31-year-old on a carousel on Saturday evening, according to the police and prosecutors. The perpetrator is said to have stabbed his victim with a knife. Despite immediate resuscitation measures, the 31-year-old died on the spot from his injuries. An autopsy revealed that the man died from a stab to the heart. He bled to death, said senior public prosecutor Martin Botzenhardt on Sunday.

A homicide commission has started the investigation, the spokesman for the public prosecutor's office reported. The search for the alleged perpetrator continues. A call for witnesses was started, every tip is important. The suspect was traveling with a male escort. After the incident, both fled. According to the public prosecutor's office, the suspicion only refers to one person, not to the companion. There is also no indication that the 31-year-old victim "could have provoked a dispute in any way," emphasized Botzenhardt.

The head of the homicide commission, Chief Detective Inspector Heiner Olthuis, said according to the announcement: "Immediately after the crime, we were able to secure video recordings that show the suspect with his companion and the crime." The two should report to the police. "The recordings are suitable for a public search for the suspect and his companion." The body was autopsied on Sunday.

The city of Münster canceled the Send folk festival prematurely. The city announced that the largest fair in the Münsterland, which has up to a million visitors a year, will remain closed on Sunday. According to the announcement, Mayor Markus Lewe said: "After the fatal knife attack late on Saturday evening, the continuation of the broadcast is out of respect for the victim." The act was a shock to Münster. According to the city, the 31-year-old is a family man.

The public prosecutor's office did not comment on this. No personal information is given. According to previous knowledge, the two men met by chance at the folk festival. The suspect was traveling with a male escort. After the incident, both fled. According to the public prosecutor's office, the suspicion only refers to one person, not to the companion.

Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst was stunned. "A brutal act ends a boisterous folk festival for many people in shock. The police are investigating with high pressure. My thoughts are with the victim's family," wrote the CDU politician on Twitter.

The Send in Münster with showmen from all over Germany takes place three times a year on the fairground on the Schlossplatz. This year's Spring Show opened on March 11 and would normally have ended on Sunday evening. Mayor Lewe (CDU) wanted to visit the crime scene and light a memorial candle for the victim.