A 58-year-old court bailiff was stabbed to death on Tuesday morning in Bexbach while carrying out an eviction. The 42-year-old tenant confessed to the attack with a hunting knife. The incident has sparked calls for improved protection for justice officials.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning in Bexbach, Saarland. The 58-year-old court bailiff, a married family man, was enforcing an eviction in an apartment. Accompanied by three housing management staff, he entered alone without a protective vest. The tenant, a 42-year-old man, stabbed him multiple times in the head and upper body with a hunting knife. The officer died at the scene.
The suspect was arrested minutes later. He has no prior convictions but is known to police: Investigated twice for threatening a neighbor, cases dismissed; currently probed for buying five grams of amphetamines. An investigating judge ordered pretrial detention. He faces charges of manslaughter, resisting enforcement officers, and assaulting them. Prosecutor Bernd Weidig confirmed the confession; the motive is unclear, with no signs of alcohol or drugs.
The killing caused widespread shock. Saarland's Premier Anke Rehlinger (SPD) called it a »terrible message« and demanded a thorough probe. Justice Minister Petra Berg (SPD) described it as a »turning point for Saarland's justice system«: »Nothing is the same as before.« Bexbach Mayor Christian Prech viewed it as an »attack on the rule of law.« Association head Gerd Luckas noted such events heighten awareness of job risks.
Court bailiffs enforce rulings, collect debts, evict tenants, summon witnesses, or remove children. Violence is routine: Verbal abuse is common, physical from spitting to firearms. Bavaria reported 1,013 incidents in 2023, North Rhine-Westphalia saw 540, more than double the previous year. Protections include police checks and escorts, varying by state. Pepper spray is banned in Saarland, vests partly self-funded. Minister Berg announced a review of safety measures; associations call for enhanced training in de-escalation and self-defense.