City · NW
Knife attacks in Essen 2025
For Essen, 32 published cases are documented in the 2025 calendar year. They comprise 21 knife attacks, 3 knife threats, and 8 robberies or extortion cases involving a knife.
Annual comparison for this city
Data through 2025-12-31
- 2025
Show data table
| Month | 2025 |
|---|---|
| January | 2 |
| February | 4 |
| March | 5 |
| May | 2 |
| June | 1 |
| July | 2 |
| August | 3 |
| September | 6 |
| October | 1 |
| November | 4 |
| December | 2 |
Cases by type
- Knife attack21
- Knife threat3
- Robbery or extortion8
Reported injury outcomes
- No injury2
- Injured, severity not known6
- Minor injury1
- Serious injury4
- Life-threatening injury6
- Fatal outcome1
- Mixed injury outcomes4
- Not known8
Context for Essen
- Knife attacks account for the largest share of documented cases at 65.6%.
- The highest documented monthly count is September 2025 with 6 cases.
- Essen accounts for 3.7% of published cases in North Rhine-Westphalia.
- Essen has 586,608 residents (as of 2023).
32 results
Latest cases in Essen
- Knife attack
21-year-old seriously injured with stabbing weapon at Essen Central Station
An unidentified man seriously injured a 21-year-old with a stabbing weapon during an altercation at Essen Central Station and fled.
- Robbery/extortion
Two men threaten petrol station employee in Essen with knife
Two unidentified men threatened a petrol station employee in Essen with a knife and a firearm before stealing cash.
- Robbery/extortion
Armed petrol station robbery in Essen-Steele
An unidentified man threatened a petrol station employee in Essen-Steele with a knife and stole cash. He escaped.
- Knife attack
Man found with life-threatening stab wound in Essen
A man was found on a pavement in Essen with a life-threatening stab wound. It was initially unclear how and where he was injured.
- Knife attack
Man critically injured with stabbing weapon during dispute in Essen
A 22-year-old man was critically injured with a stabbing weapon during a dispute in a car park in Essen. Police are continuing to search for the minor suspect.
- Robbery/extortion
Armed robbery at Essen grocery store
A masked man allegedly threatened a cashier with a knife and stole cash at a grocery store in Essen. An employee was injured during the subsequent escape.
- Knife attack
Two men seriously injured in shooting and stabbing incident in Essen
Two men suffered serious stab injuries in Essen-Katernberg; one also sustained a gunshot wound and was in life-threatening condition. A 23-year-old suspect was arrested.
- Knife attack
Three injured in stabbing at wedding celebration in Essen
Three people were injured at a wedding celebration in Essen, including a man seriously wounded in a stabbing. Two suspects are in pre-trial detention.
- Knife attack
Woman seriously injured in stabbing at Essen central station
A 41-year-old woman was seriously injured with a stabbing weapon after an argument at Essen central station. A 36-year-old suspect was arrested, and a warrant was issued for attempted manslaughter.
- Knife threat
Bladed weapon drawn during dispute in Essen
Four men sustained minor injuries during a dispute in Essen. Police said a bladed weapon was also drawn and one man was threatened.
- Knife attack
44-year-old critically injured in stabbing attack in Essen
An unknown attacker is alleged to have attacked a 44-year-old man from behind with a stabbing weapon at a bus stop in Essen. The man sustained life-threatening injuries.
- Knife attack
Teacher seriously injured at Essen vocational college
A teenage suspect is alleged to have repeatedly injured a teacher with a stabbing weapon at a vocational college in Essen. He was arrested after a search.
- Knife attack
Two people seriously injured in knife attacks in Essen
A minor suspect allegedly seriously injured a teacher and a man with a large knife in Essen on 5 September. Germany's federal prosecutor took over the attempted murder investigation.
- Knife attack
Man threatened with knife at Essen Central Station
Following an altercation at Essen Central Station, a man is alleged to have struck a 21-year-old in the face with a folded knife and threatened him. Three suspects were located by police.
- Knife attack
Three injured in Essen altercation involving stabbing and bladed weapons
Two men suffered stab injuries during an altercation involving several people in Essen, and a police officer was also injured.
- Knife attack
Man found with stab wounds in Essen
A man was found with serious stab wounds in Essen. The unidentified suspect fled, and police established a homicide investigation unit.
- Knife attack
21-year-old injured in altercation involving a stabbing weapon
A 21-year-old was injured in an altercation involving a stabbing weapon.
- Knife attack
Man critically injured in attack with stabbing weapon in Essen
A man was critically injured with a stabbing weapon during a confrontation between two groups in Essen. Two companions suffered minor injuries from striking instruments.
- Robbery/extortion
Three seniors robbed at knifepoint in Essen
An unidentified man allegedly threatened three seniors with a knife and robbed them in Essen's Holsterhausen district on the morning of 14 June.
- Robbery/extortion
Two pedestrians robbed with stabbing weapon in Essen
An unknown man threatened two pedestrians with a stabbing weapon on a cycle path in Essen and took cash.