Essen (dpa / lnw) - After the attack on two women (22, 59) in Essen last Friday, a suspect is in custody for attempted murder. As the police announced on Tuesday, the 22-year-old was arrested on the day of the crime after the public search and a witness reference in Bottrop. Rescue workers initially took the 22-year-old man known to the police to a hospital as a "helpless person". When the paramedics found that it was the wanted suspect from Essen, they alerted the police.

On Friday morning at around 6.30 a.m., two injured women were reported to the police within a few minutes by emergency call at two different locations in the Altendorf district of Essen. At the intersection of Helenenstrasse and Altendorfer Strasse, the alarmed officials reportedly found a young woman (22) with a head injury. She came to the hospital. Witnesses stated that the 22-year-old was walking. When a stranger approached her, she fled, but was followed and grabbed by the suspect. The man then hit her on the head from behind with an object until she fell to the ground. The man then fled.

Shortly thereafter, another witness reported a lifeless woman at the Haskenstrasse/Ehrenzeller Strasse intersection not far away. The 59-year-old also had head injuries and was unconscious. After emergency medical treatment, the seriously injured also came to the clinic. A witness described a similar incident as before with the 22-year-old. The 59-year-old was hit from behind with an object, fell to the ground and remained motionless. Nevertheless, the suspect continued to punch her in the face several times and also kicked her. The stranger then fled.

The background to the brutal acts was initially unclear. A police spokeswoman was also unable to say whether the two women were related in any way.