Arrow attack in Berlin: Court decides on mentally ill man

Arrow attack in Berlin: Court decides on mentally ill man

Zionskirchplatz, 10119 Berlin, Deutschland - On July 18, 2025, the Regional Court Berlin on the fall of a 55-year-old man who complained about a shocking incident in December 2024 became. The accused, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was classified as not guilty and must now be accommodated in a psychiatric hospital under strict requirements.

The incident occurred when the man from his apartment at the Zionskirchplatz shot at least two arrows and announced loudly: "You are all of the mafia, I will kill you all." A witness was able to get to safety behind a tree and alert the police. One arrow crashed into the tree and fell to the ground, while the attacker was unharmed. The incident was legally classified as an attempted coercion and threat.

judicial requirements

The court imposed a five -year management supervision of the man. The requirements include:

• Further treatment via a psychiatric outpatient clinic
• monthly deposit medication
• prohibition, arrows or similar weapons
• No consumption of alcohol or narcotics

The accused had already stated and regretted it. He explained that he considered the attacked to be a member of a mafia and intended to displace. He also expressed that he wanted attention and that he should be taken seriously. His drug use was a reaction to his fears and the conviction of actively seeing a construction mafia in Berlin.

background: paranoid schizophrenia

paranoid schizophrenia, one of the most common subtypes of schizophrenia, is characterized by persecution and acoustic and optical hallucinations. This disease is an example of endogenous psychoses that are associated with a loss of reality and disorders of thinking and feelings. Almost 25 out of 10,000 people in Germany are affected, with men often develop earlier than women. About 50% of patients show symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, which is often expressed by strong delusions and ego disorders

The causes are complex and include genetic and psychosocial risk factors. A combination of biochemical imbalances, especially in the dopamine and serotonin balance, also plays an important role. Drug consumption, especially cannabis, can trigger psychoses, which also applies to the illness of the 55-year-old.

As a rule, schizophrenia begins with a protromal phase, which is characterized by listlessness, depression and social retreat. Since the disease is often diagnosed too late, there is a risk of chronification and recurring relapses, as in the case of Klaus Gauger, who struggled with his schizophrenia and wrote down his experience in a book to fight the stigma. He reported on the cold treatment he experienced in clinics and the challenges associated with the disease.

The situation above underlines the urgent need to improve the treatment of schizophrenia patients and to demand an end to the continued stigma. Every case, like that of a 55-year-old man who is involved in both the judiciary and the mental health care, represents a challenge that requires both legal and therapeutic solutions.