- Title: German police investigate attempted murder after poisoning attack at university
- Date: 24th August 2021
- Summary: DARMSTADT, GERMANY (AUGUST 24, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF DARMSTADT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY (TU) WHERE SEVEN PEOPLE SHOWED POISONING SYMPTOMS AFTER DRINKING WATER AND MILK LEFT IN TEA KITCHEN OF MATERIALS AND EARTH SCIENCES DEPARTMENT SIGN IN WINDOW READING IN GERMAN "IMPORTANT APPEAL TO ALL TU MEMBERS! TU DARMSTADT WAS THE VICTIM OF A SERIOUS CRIME. ACCORDING TO POLICE INVESTIGATIONS A POSSIBLE POISONING ATTACK WAS COMMITTED. DRINKS AND WATER CONTAINERS IN BUILDING L2/01 (MATERIALS AND EARTH SCIENCES DEPARTMENT) ON LICHTWIESE CAMPUS WERE TAMPERED WITH WITH CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE WE ADVISE AGAINST THE CONSUMPTION OF FOOD AND DRINKS LEFT ON UNIVERSITY GROUNDS IN THE COMING DAYS." VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF DARMSTADT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY VARIOUS OF DARMSTADT CHIEF PROSECUTOR ROBERT HARTMANN SPEAKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) DARMSTADT CHIEF PROSECUTOR, ROBERT HARTMANN, SAYING: "Our initial suspicion is an attempted murder on seven counts which is based on the fact that a substance was found in several foods which can be harmful and even lethal. For the moment we therefore believe that the substance was administered deliberately into the foods." REPORTERS HARTMANN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) DARMSTADT CHIEF PROSECUTOR, ROBERT HARTMANN, SAYING: "We know what substance it is but we can't name it because that's the perpetrator's knowledge and because it can help in our investigation. We therefore can't name it yet." HARTMANN SPEAKING
- Embargoed: 7th September 2021 12:25
- Keywords: Darmstadt Technical University chemical substance drink life threatening condition poisoning prosecutor's office
- Location: DARMSTADT, GERMANY
- City: DARMSTADT, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Crime,Europe
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERN1JK7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German police are investigating an attempted murder on seven counts after members of a technical university showed symptoms of poisoning, Darmstadt's chief prosecutor said on Tuesday (August 24).
Robert Hartmann told reporters the investigation was "based on the fact that a substance was found in several foods which can be harmful and even lethal."
Hartmann added authorities knew what substance was administered but that they could not yet name it so not to hamper the investigation.
A sign posted on a glass door on the university campus warned "all members of Darmstadt Technical University" that "drinks and water containers" at the Materials and Earth Sciences department had been "tampered with."
"As a precautionary measure we advise against the consumption of food and drinks left on university grounds in the coming days," the warning sign read.
According to local media, some of the seven people affected suffered from "serious poisoning" on Monday afternoon (August 23) which led to discomfort and discolourations of fingers and feet.
A 30-year-old student assistant was doing "much better" on Tuesday after his life was in danger a day earlier, according to "Hessenschau."
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