After the knife attack in Winterthur Winterthur psychiatry has procedures investigated

The Winterthur psychiatric clinic has initiated an external investigation. This was triggered by the knife attack at Winterthur railroad station on Thursday. The perpetrator had been classified in the clinic as "not a danger to himself or others".

Keystone-SDA

29.05.2026, 07:39

29.05.2026, 10:15

SDA

The external administrative investigation will examine the processes and responsibilities that led to the man's release, according to the Winterthur Integrated Psychiatric Ward (ipw). The ipw is shocked and deeply saddened by the events. The security director of the canton of Zurich, Mario Fehr (non-party), described the ipw's assessment as an "obvious misjudgement".

The 31-year-old had only reported himself to the Winterthur municipal police on Monday. They admitted him to a psychiatric ward on the basis of a precautionary placement. On Wednesday, however, a doctor classified him as "not a danger to himself or others", so that the perpetrator was able to leave the clinic. The next day he stabbed himself.

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