Two US servicemen were arrested after a man was fatally stabbed during an argument at a carnival in Germany, according to police and the US Air Force.
Officials say that the 28-year-old victim was killed during the confrontation at the Säubrenner fair in the small town of Wittlich on Saturday night.
The suspects have only been identified as aged 25 and 26 and stationed at the US Air Force’s Spangdahlem Air Base, which is close to the town.
German police and the US Air Force have not yet released the names of the suspect, and the name of the victim, who is a German national, has also not been made public.
Police say that the two men were arrested after witnesses identified a group of four people who had been seen near the crime scene.
Both suspects have been handed over to US authorities who will now take over the investigation “in accordance with the NATO troop statute.”
“This is certainly an intolerable and preventable tragedy in our peaceful community,” Col. Kevin Crofton, commander of the 52nd Fighter Wing stationed at the base, said in a statement.
“We thank the local Polizei and the Wittlich town leadership for their partnership and patience as the investigation runs its course.”
The mayor of Wittlich, Joachim Rodenkirch, said in a statement that he was shocked at the killing, which took place at around 2.4am.
“I am horrified and terribly sad that a young man died in such a brutal way at the Säubrenner fair, where many people come together to celebrate peacefully. My deepest sympathy goes to the parents and family of the deceased,” he said.
Spangdahlem Air Base is home to the US Air Force’s 52nd Fighter Wing, which states that it “provides Airpower options to deter and combat aggression” in NATO territory.
