19‑Year‑Old Suspect Arrested After Two Killed in German School Violence

Two people were killed in a domestic‑violence incident at the Docemus private secondary school in Gosen‑Neu Zittau, a town about 30 km north of Berlin, police said on Sunday. Brandenburg state police confirmed that the crime scene had been secured and that a 19‑year‑old German man had been arrested as the prime suspect.

The police statement did not describe the weapon used and said the incident was not a mass shooting. It remains unclear whether the suspect was a student at the school. Local media reports identified the victims as an 18‑year‑old female student and a 30‑year‑old man who died while attempting to intervene. The arrested man is believed to have been the ex‑boyfriend of the student, according to Maz Online.

Brandenburg’s parliamentary speaker, Ulrike Liedtke, called the event a “cowardly femicide” and said it “filled me with deep sorrow and anger.” She added that she was shaken by the death of a citizen who had shown moral courage in trying to help. The state premier, Dietmar Woidke, described the attack as an “unimaginable act of violence.”

The school’s managing director, Michael Kunz, announced that classes would be cancelled on Friday. He said the school would remain open for students who wished to attend, stating that it would provide a “safe space” for them to gather, talk and process the tragedy. Kunz added that a careful decision would be made in the coming days about how school life would be structured.

Brandenburg police said the suspect was taken into custody at the scene and that the investigation was ongoing. No further details were released about the suspect’s background or motive beyond the alleged relationship to the victim. The police also said they had not yet determined whether any other students or staff were present at the time of the incident.

The incident comes amid a broader context of rising school violence in Germany. Last month, a separate attack at a secondary school in southern Germany left two girls seriously wounded, and a 16‑year‑old suspect was arrested. Authorities have been reviewing school security protocols in response to these events.

The investigation is expected to continue over the coming days. Brandenburg police have asked the public to come forward with any information that could assist the inquiry. The school and local authorities are working with mental‑health professionals to support students and staff affected by the tragedy.

The incident has prompted calls for increased safety measures at schools across the country. Lawmakers in Berlin and Brandenburg have said they will review existing legislation on school security and domestic‑violence prevention. The German federal government has also pledged to allocate additional resources for school‑based counseling services.