Overview
- The 23-year-old, identified as Paul S., was attacked around 3 a.m. on December 20 outside a kiosk on Rüttenscheider Straße after leaving an Irish pub.
- Surgeons at Essener Krupp-Krankenhaus operated for about five hours on catastrophic knee injuries, with doctors saying an artificial joint is likely.
- Police say early evidence was missed that night because the emergency clinician assessed the harm as minor, resulting in lost witness statements and overwritten video.
- Investigators released suspect descriptions—two main suspects aged 16–20, 1.75–1.85 meters tall with black curly hair and a “southern” appearance—and ask for tips to Kriminalkommissariat 34 at 0201/8290.
- The victim’s mother is offering €10,000 for information as reports note many bystanders failed to intervene or call emergency services, and no arrests have been confirmed.