German police investigate an attack on Herdecke mayor Iris Stalzer, focusing on a possible family‑related motive after her 17‑year‑old daughter and son were taken in for questioning.
Attack on German Mayor
Police in Germany say they are examining all circumstances of an assault on Iris Stalzer, the mayor of Herdecke in North Rhine‑Westphalia. According to the newspaper Die Welt, the attack likely occurred outside her home before she entered her apartment. Stalzer’s son reported the incident to authorities and indicated that a group of men had struck her. Police subsequently took her 15‑year‑old son and 17‑year‑old daughter in for questioning.
Investigators Focus on Family
German investigators believe a political motive for the attack is unlikely. They are looking into an incident that took place in the summer of last year when Stalzer’s daughter allegedly attacked her with a knife. Neighbors told Die Welt that a loud quarrel had erupted in the family home before the attack on Tuesday, leading police to suspect the crime may have a domestic element. Focus has shifted to the 17‑year‑old girl as a central figure in the inquiry.
Who Is Iris Stalzer?
Iris Stalzer, a member of the Social Democratic Party, won the second round of Herdecke’s municipal elections on 28 September with 52.2 % of the vote, narrowly defeating CDU candidate Fabian Conrad Haase. She was to take office in November. Stalzer is married with two children, is a lawyer specialized in labour law, and has served on the city council, the Social Affairs Committee, the Demography and Health Committee, the Youth Welfare Commission, and the board of the Association of Social Institutions.
