Man remains in custody after amok alarm at school in Cortaillod NE
Published: Saturday, Dec 9th 2023, 14:30
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The 25-year-old man arrested on Friday following a shooting rampage at a school in Cortaillod NE remains in custody for the time being. Investigations have revealed that he is known to several police forces in other countries for violent crimes.
The man had behaved conspicuously on the school grounds on Friday afternoon and shouted "Allah akbar" after coming into contact with a teacher and a technical employee, as the Neuchâtel cantonal police reported on Saturday.
As he was perceived as a threat, an amok alarm was triggered at the school. However, there are currently no indications of terrorist links. No special security measures were necessary for the school.
The identification of the man on the basis of digital fingerprints revealed that the 25-year-old Algerian was also known to other police forces in other European countries under various identities. This mainly involved acts of violence. Due to the different identities, investigations are still ongoing in cooperation with the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol).
Further investigations revealed that the man had traveled to Switzerland by train via Geneva last Wednesday. On the same day, he reported to the federal asylum center in Boudry NE and applied for asylum. Due to his state of health, he received psychiatric treatment and was placed under observation in an institution for one night.
He returned to the center in Boudry on Thursday afternoon. The staff alerted the doctors because of the man's behavior. However, the man left the center. What exactly he had done before he turned up at the school in Cortaillod was still unknown, according to the police statement.
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