German castle attack: American victims in deadly Neuschwanstein tourist attack are named
The two American women who were attacked while they hiked a trail near a famous castle in Germany had recently graduated college.
Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported.
A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Ms Liu were the victims shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state Bavaria on Wednesday. Ms Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital.
“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.”
A 30-year-old American man has been arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.
What we know about the attack by Neuschwanstein castle
Friday 16 June 2023 14:35 , Megan Sheets
An idyllic tourist spot in Germany became the site of a shocking tragedy when two American women were thrown over the edge of a steep gorge - allegedly by an American man who sexually assaulted them.
German police are investigating an incident which took place Wednesday (15 June) near the famous Neuschwanstein castle.
A 30-year-old suspect allegedly attempted to assault the two women before forcing them over a ledge.
Both women, ages 21 and 22, were rescued, but the younger one died of her injuries soon after.
The victims and alleged assailant have yet to be named.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about two women being thrown off cliff near German castle
Witness describes scratches on suspect’s face
Friday 16 June 2023 14:45 , Megan Sheets
Video posted online showed police arresting the 30-year-old suspect after he fled from the scene of the attack. He is seen wearing a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
The video was recorded by Eric Aberneri, who told the Associated Press that the man appeared to have scratches on his face.
“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Mr Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, told the outlet. “He just walked with the police and that was it.”
Mr Abneri also described how he and his friends reached the scenic overlook as a helicopter flew in to rescue the victims.
“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.
He said the rescue was “very, very difficult” as the helicopter had to hover just feet over the treeline as crews were lowered down to the victims.
“They did an unbelievable job,” he said of the rescuers.
What do we know about the suspect?
Friday 16 June 2023 14:55 , Megan Sheets
Little is known about the suspect, other than that he is a 30-year-old American man.
He did not know the victims prior to the attack, authorities said.
The man reportedly appeared in court on Thursday and was ordered to be held in jail pending an indictment - which could take months, the Associated Press reported.
He is being investigated on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and a sexual offense.
Where is Neuschwanstein castle?
Friday 16 June 2023 15:10 , Megan Sheets
Neuschwanstein castle sits in the foothills of the Alps on Germany’s southern edge.
It was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869 but never actually coming to completion.
The king never ended up living at the castle before his death in 1886, after which it was opening to the public.
The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.
More than 1.3 million people visit the site each year, with up to 6,000 visitors each day in during the peak summer season.
ICYMI: Two US women attacked by American while touring castle in Germany
Friday 16 June 2023 15:26 , Andrea Blanco
On Wednesday afternoon, two American women, aged 21 and 22, were forced off a steep ledge at the Marienbrücke, a pedestrain bridge with sweeping views of the castle, which sits above a high river gorge.
“The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told German tabloid Bild.
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement.
Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after the younger woman first, prompting the 22-year-old to try and defend her, police said.
“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope. ”
After that, the man made an “attempted sexual offence” on the 21-year-old and pushed her over the ledge as well, DW reports.
American suspect to be tried in Germany, report says
Friday 16 June 2023 16:19 , Andrea Blanco
German prosecutors are not considering extradition for the man accused of murdering an American tourist, according to the German outlet Rheinische Post.
However, a later transfer for the execution of the sentence is possible, a spokesperson for the local public prosecutor’s office said.
German police seeks help in investigation
Friday 16 June 2023 16:49 , Andrea Blanco
Authorities in Kempten have asked witnesses who may have video or pictures of the moments leading up to the attack and the incident itself to forward them to the department. According to the German outlet Rheinische Post, police believe there is a lot of material that needs to be reviewed by detectives.
“We hope that this will further clarify the situation before and after the crime,” a police spokesman said.
Suspect. in custody
Friday 16 June 2023 17:23 , Andrea Blanco
The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles on Wednesday afternoon and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen.
The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder.
“The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Hörmann told DW.
Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation, and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them.
Who is the alleged attacker?
Friday 16 June 2023 18:15 , Andrea Blanco
Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports.
The man appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.
It is unclear how long he had been in Germany, but he has been described by local authorities as a tourist.
Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
German police arrest man accused of throwing women off bridge at castle
Friday 16 June 2023 19:01 , Andrea Blanco
Victims in deadly shoving attack identified
Friday 16 June 2023 19:58 , Andrea Blanco
US tourist killed in Germany was recent University of Illinois grad
Fatal victim had been hired as a software engineer at Microsoft
Friday 16 June 2023 20:43 , Andrea Blanco
Just weeks before the tragedy, Eva Liu was awarded a computer science degree, while Ms Chang received a bachelor’s in computer engineering.
Liu had landed a role as a software engineer at Microsoft after finishing an internship with the company during her last semester, she wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Thousands of tourists frequent castle every day
Friday 16 June 2023 21:15 , Andrea Blanco
Neuschwanstein castle, nestled near the Austrian border, was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869.
The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.
According to the Rheinische Post, almost one and a half million tourists visit the attraction every year. The Bavarian Palace Administration reports that on average, 6,000 visit the castle every day during the summer.
ICYMI: Two US women attacked by American while touring castle in Germany
Friday 16 June 2023 21:47 , Andrea Blanco
On Wednesday afternoon, two American women, aged 21 and 22, were forced off a steep ledge at the Marienbrücke, a pedestrain bridge with sweeping views of the castle, which sits above a high river gorge.
“The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told German tabloid Bild.
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement.
Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after the younger woman first, prompting the 22-year-old to try and defend her, police said.
“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope. ”
After that, the man made an “attempted sexual offence” on the 21-year-old and pushed her over the ledge as well, DW reports.
What we know about the attack by Neuschwanstein castle
Friday 16 June 2023 22:39 , Andrea Blanco
An idyllic tourist spot in Germany became the site of a shocking tragedy when two American women were thrown over the edge of a steep gorge - allegedly by an American man who sexually assaulted them.
German police are investigating an incident which took place Wednesday (15 June) near the famous Neuschwanstein castle.
A 30-year-old suspect allegedly attempted to assault the two women before forcing them over a ledge.
Both women, ages 21 and 22, were rescued, but the younger one died of her injuries soon after.
The victims and alleged assailant have yet to be named.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about two women being thrown off cliff near German castle
Suspect arrested after massive search
Friday 16 June 2023 23:40 , Andrea Blanco
The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles, K-9 units and a helicopter search on Wednesday afternoon.
The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder.
“The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told DW.
Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation, and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them.
German prosecutors will not consider extradition for the man, according to the German outlet Rheinische Post.
However, if he is convicted, a later transfer for the execution of the sentence is possible, a spokesperson for the local public prosecutor’s office said.
Kempten authorities have asked witnesses who may have footage or pictures of the moments leading up to the attack and the incident itself to forward them to the department. Police have already reviewed more than a dozen videos but believe there is more material that will be submitted in the following days.
“We hope that this will further clarify the situation before and after the crime,” a police spokesman said.
Investigators are now trying to reconstruct the timeline of the crime. They are searching for evidence in the specific trails where the attack is believed to have happened, but the Marienbrücke Bridge and the majority of its surroundings have been reopened to the public.
VIDEO: German police arrest man accused of throwing women off bridge at castle
01:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
Around 6,000 tourists visit Neuschwanstein Castle during the summer
02:00 , Andrea Blanco
Neuschwanstein Castle sits in the foothills of the Alps on Germany’s southern edge.
It was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869 but never actually coming to completion.
The king never ended up living at the castle before his death in 1886, after which it was opening to the public.
The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.
More than 1.3 million people visit the site each year, with up to 6,000 visitors each day during the peak summer season.
Who is the alleged attacker?
03:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports.
The man appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.
It is unclear how long he had been in Germany, but he has been described by local authorities as a tourist.
Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
30-year-old suspect would not be named under German prosecution protocol
04:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
The victims and their alleged attacker had reportedly stayed at the budget Seibel Hotel in Munich, staff told the Mail.
The suspect appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.
Following protocol, German authorities will not release the name of the suspect in the early stages of the investigation.
One victim dead, another injured following Wednesday attack
05:00 , Andrea Blanco
Eva Liu and Kelsey Chang were shoved down 164 feet into a ravine. Liu was airlifted to a hospital in serious condition and died on Thursday night.
Ms Chang suffered bruises and lacerations to her head but much of the impact was blunted by a tree, according to the Mail.
She was transported to a hospital and was still recovering as of Friday morning.
Liu succumbed to her injuries on Thursday night.
How were the victims rescued?
06:00 , Andrea Blanco
The two women were rescued by the Füssen mountain rescue service. It is unclear, however, how much time passed between the attack and their rescue, or who alerted emergency services of the assault.
Due to the harsh terrain around the gorge, specially trained members of the Alpine Task Force were involved in the attempted rescue of both women.
Ms Chang remained conscious and was taken to a hospital, while Liu was airlifted to a different hospital in serious condition.
Liu succumbed to her injuries on Thursday night.
Witness Eric Abneri, a recent business graduate from the University of Pittsburgh who witnessed the incident, said he and friends arrived at the scenic overlook as a helicopter arrived and they saw rescuers lower themselves down to the victims.
“I’m honestly absolutely stunned someone is still alive from this. It is like falling from the top of an absolute cliff,” he said.
Mr Abneri described it as “a very, very difficult rescue because of those cliffs and because the helicopter came mere feet above the tree line at the top of the hill.”
“They did an unbelievable job,” he said.
ICYMI: Attack by German castle left American university graduate dead
07:00 , Andrea Blanco
On Wednesday afternoon, the two American women were on a hiking trail east of the Marienbrücke Bridge, an attraction just an hour’s drive from Munich that is popular among visitors for its sweeping views of the Neuschwanstein Castle.
They met a man and joined him along the trail just moments before the tragedy unfolded.
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement. “According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed.”
Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after Liu first, prompting Ms Chang to try and defend her friend, police said.
“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope.”
After that, the man made an attempted sexual offence on Liu and pushed her over the ledge as well. She fell nearly 164ft and landed next to her friend.
American victims in deadly tourist attack by German castle identified as recent Illinois university graduates
08:00 , Andrea Blanco
Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported.
A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Liu were shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state of Bavaria on Wednesday. Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital.
American victims in deadly tourist attack by German castle identified
IN PICTURES: Victims were hiking trail near famous Neuschwanstein Castle
09:00 , Andrea Blanco
A famous castle, attempted sex assault and a deadly shove: What happened to the American women thrown off a German cliff?
10:00 , Andrea Blanco
Police are investigating the incident at the famous Neuschwanstein castle as murder.
The Independent’s Andrea Blanco and Josh Marcus explain what we know so far:
What we know about two women being thrown off cliff near German castle
Suspect charged with murder, sexual offences
11:00 , Andrea Blanco
The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles on Wednesday afternoon and taken to a police station in nearby Fuessen.
The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder.
“The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Hörmann told DW.
Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation, and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them.
Bystander video posted online shows arrest
12:00 , Andrea Blanco
Bavarian police led away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
Survivor tried to help friend before they both were shoved down into ravine
13:00 , Andrea Blanco
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement. “According to the current state of knowledge, an attempted sexual offence to the detriment of the 21-year-old must be assumed.”
Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack 21-year-old Eva Liu, prompting her friend Kelsey Chang, 22, to try and defend her, police said.
“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope.”
Fatal victim had been hired as a software engineer at Microsoft
14:00 , Andrea Blanco
Just weeks before the tragedy, Eva Liu was awarded a computer science degree, while Ms Chang received a bachelor’s in computer engineering.
Liu had landed a role as a software engineer at Microsoft after finishing an internship with the company during her last semester, she wrote in a LinkedIn post.
