Zurich trial opens over knife attack on kindergarten children

Proceedings against a 25-year-old student from China accused of attacking kindergarten children in Zurich began on Thursday at Zurich District Court, SRF reported. The prosecution has charged him with multiple counts of attempted murder and is seeking a 15-year prison sentence.

The defendant has confessed to the attack. The defence has not yet announced its sentencing requests.

On October 1, 2024, the man, then 23, attacked a group of kindergarten children in Zurich-Oerlikon as they walked with their care supervisor to lunch care. According to the indictment, he deliberately stabbed children within his reach. The supervisor intervened and restrained him. He then threw away the knife and allowed himself to be arrested without resistance.

Three five-year-old boys were injured. One was in mortal danger after being stabbed and required emergency surgery. All three survived.

The indictment says the defendant prepared the attack over several weeks. He allegedly researched knife attacks online and using ChatGPT, including possible punishments and locations in Zurich where children could be found. He ordered a set of knives and clothing online, studied anatomical illustrations and practised stabbing raw meat the day before the attack.

According to the indictment, he deliberately chose October 1 because it is China’s national day. Shortly before the attack, he published pro-China patriotic messages on Instagram.

Prosecutors accuse him of acting with particular ruthlessness and deliberately selecting especially vulnerable and defenceless victims. They believe he intended to kill several children. The indictment says he acted out of revenge, a desire for recognition, delusional ideological fanaticism and extreme contempt for his child victims.

The main dispute at trial is expected to concern the extent to which the defendant can be held responsible. A psychiatric assessment cited by the NZZ reportedly found that he may have been suffering from an acute psychotic disorder or a severe depressive episode involving a loss of contact with reality at the time of the attack. The expert assessed his criminal responsibility as significantly reduced.

The prosecution rejects that assessment. It is maintaining the multiple attempted murder charges and is seeking 15 years in prison, outpatient treatment and a 15-year expulsion from Switzerland.

The trial is scheduled to last two days. The psychiatric expert is also due to testify, and the court will decide whether the defendant was fully responsible and what sentence is appropriate.