Newly elected German mayor suffers critical injuries after being repeatedly stabbed at her home

Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - A newly elected German mayor is fighting for her life after a stabbing attack at her home.

The attack on Iris Stalzer, 57, mayor-elect of Herdecke near the western city of Dortmund, took place at around noon, said public broadcaster WDR. 

The politician sustained as many as 13 stab wounds, according to Westfalenpost.

She was discovered inside her apartment by her 15-year-old adopted son, according to German outlet Bild, with life-threatening injuries and several stabbing wounds on her stomach and back.

Police have reportedly arrested the boy, who told officers that his mother was attacked outside their home by 'several men on the street', the outlet said.

It added that he was taken away from the scene in handcuffs and wearing an evidence-preserving overall. 

The teenager reportedly called 911 alongside his 17-year-old adopted sister, who was also present in the apartment when authorities arrived, the newspaper said.

Stalzer is receiving emergency treatment in the hospital and is said to be in critical condition.

She was due to take office after being elected as the mayor of Herdecke, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, only a week ago.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the attack as a 'heinous act'

Local police have issued a major alert and a manhunt is reportedly ongoing for the suspects, according to Bild.

A rescue helicopter was photographed at the scene in Herdecke, accompanied by emergency services. Police searching for evidence have sealed off the road around her house.

A homicide squad is expected to take over the investigation into the attack shortly. 

The police are urgently appealing to the public for information. 

It has not yet been determined whether there was a political motive behind the incident. 

'The motive for the crime is completely unclear; we are investigating all avenues,' said police spokesperson Tino Schäfer. 

Stalzer, of Germany's centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior party in the country's conservative-led national government, was elected on September 28 as mayor of Herdecke.

After securing just over 52.2 percent of the vote, she celebrated her success in a post on Instagram, writing: 'Above all, I would like to thank the citizens of Herdecke for this fantastic result and the trust you have placed in me as the new mayor.

'I will begin my term in November – full of joy, enthusiasm, and respect for this task. Together with you, I want to shape, develop, and keep our city vibrant.'

The comments to the post are now filled with 'get well soon' messages in the wake of the news of the attack. 

'Disgusting act. A speedy recovery,' one person wrote. 

'I pray for your health,' another added.

The mayor is married with two teenage children and has lived in Herdecke for almost the entirety of her life.

She is a lawyer and a specialist in employment legislation, and had already served on Herdecke's city council prior to the local election.

Merz wrote on social media that 'we fear for the life of mayor-elect Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery'.