German castle attack: American victims in deadly Neuschwanstein tourist attack are named
Two University of Illinois were shoved into a ravine in the German state of Bavaria
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Your support makes all the difference.The two American women who were attacked while they hiked a trail near a famous castle in Germany had recently graduated college.
Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DailyMail.com first reported.
A university spokesperson confirmed in a statement to The Independent that Ms Chang and Ms Liu were the victims shoved down into a ravine near the historic Neuschwanstein Castle in the German state Bavaria on Wednesday. Ms Liu died as a result of injuries she sustained during the 164ft fall, while Ms Chang remains in hospital.
“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome,” the office of the university chancellor said. “Our thoughts are with Ms. Chang as she recovers and with both of their families as they grieve.”
A 30-year-old American man has been arrested and charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.
A famous castle, attempted sex assault and a deadly shove: What happened to the American women thrown off a German cliff?
German police appeal for witness footage of attack in which Americans were thrown into Alpine gorge
American woman dead after man ‘throws two tourists off bridge’ at German fairytale castle
Victims in deadly shoving attack identified
US tourist killed in Germany was recent University of Illinois grad
Eva Liu, 21, and Kelsey Chang, 22, had travelled to Germany following their May graduation
Fatal victim had been hired as a software engineer at Microsoft
Just weeks before the tragedy, Eva Liu was awarded a computer science degree, while Ms Chang received a bachelor’s in computer engineering.
Liu had landed a role as a software engineer at Microsoft after finishing an internship with the company during her last semester, she wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Thousands of tourists frequent castle every day
Neuschwanstein castle, nestled near the Austrian border, was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869.
The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.
According to the Rheinische Post, almost one and a half million tourists visit the attraction every year. The Bavarian Palace Administration reports that on average, 6,000 visit the castle every day during the summer.
ICYMI: Two US women attacked by American while touring castle in Germany
On Wednesday afternoon, two American women, aged 21 and 22, were forced off a steep ledge at the Marienbrücke, a pedestrain bridge with sweeping views of the castle, which sits above a high river gorge.
“The two tourists met the man on a hiking tour east of the Marienbrücke,” Chief Public Prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told German tabloid Bild.
“The man then steered the two under a pretext to a trail that was difficult to see, which leads to a viewpoint,” Bavarian police said in a statement.
Once out of sight, the 30-year-old assailant reportedly tried to attack the women, going after the younger woman first, prompting the 22-year-old to try and defend her, police said.
“The younger of the two women was attacked by the suspect,” police spokesman Holger Stabik told the AP. “The older one tried to rush to her aid, was then choked by the suspect and subsequently pushed down a slope. ”
After that, the man made an “attempted sexual offence” on the 21-year-old and pushed her over the ledge as well, DW reports.
What we know about the attack by Neuschwanstein castle
An idyllic tourist spot in Germany became the site of a shocking tragedy when two American women were thrown over the edge of a steep gorge - allegedly by an American man who sexually assaulted them.
German police are investigating an incident which took place Wednesday (15 June) near the famous Neuschwanstein castle.
A 30-year-old suspect allegedly attempted to assault the two women before forcing them over a ledge.
Both women, ages 21 and 22, were rescued, but the younger one died of her injuries soon after.
The victims and alleged assailant have yet to be named.
Here’s what we know so far:
What we know about two women being thrown off cliff near German castle
Police are investigating the incident at the famous Neuschwanstein castle as murder. Andrea Blanco and Josh Marcus explain what we know so far
Suspect arrested after massive search
The suspect was caught after a massive police operation involving 25 emergency vehicles, K-9 units and a helicopter search on Wednesday afternoon.
The American suspect is in a German correctional facility, as officials investigate the attack as a potential sexual offence, murder, and attempted murder.
“The allegation is not yet established,” prosecutor Thomas Hörmann told DW.
Kempten criminal police are leading the investigation, and are asking those with knowledge of the incident to get in contact with them.
German prosecutors will not consider extradition for the man, according to the German outlet Rheinische Post.
However, if he is convicted, a later transfer for the execution of the sentence is possible, a spokesperson for the local public prosecutor’s office said.
Kempten authorities have asked witnesses who may have footage or pictures of the moments leading up to the attack and the incident itself to forward them to the department. Police have already reviewed more than a dozen videos but believe there is more material that will be submitted in the following days.
“We hope that this will further clarify the situation before and after the crime,” a police spokesman said.
Investigators are now trying to reconstruct the timeline of the crime. They are searching for evidence in the specific trails where the attack is believed to have happened, but the Marienbrücke Bridge and the majority of its surroundings have been reopened to the public.
VIDEO: German police arrest man accused of throwing women off bridge at castle
Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
Around 6,000 tourists visit Neuschwanstein Castle during the summer
Neuschwanstein Castle sits in the foothills of the Alps on Germany’s southern edge.
It was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, with construction beginning in 1869 but never actually coming to completion.
The king never ended up living at the castle before his death in 1886, after which it was opening to the public.
The towering estate is one of Germany‘s most popular tourist attractions and is said to have been the inspiration for various Disney castles.
More than 1.3 million people visit the site each year, with up to 6,000 visitors each day during the peak summer season.
Who is the alleged attacker?
Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports.
The man appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.
It is unclear how long he had been in Germany, but he has been described by local authorities as a tourist.
Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
30-year-old suspect would not be named under German prosecution protocol
Bavarian police said the attacker was a 30-year-old US national, DW reports. Bystander video posted online showed police leading away a handcuffed, bearded man in a T-shirt, jeans and a baseball cap.
The victims and their alleged attacker had reportedly stayed at the budget Seibel Hotel in Munich, staff told the Mail.
The suspect appeared before a judge at the Kempten District Court, but did not comment on a motive behind the attack.
Following protocol, German authorities will not release the name of the suspect in the early stages of the investigation.
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