Iraqi teenager falls to death in Hamburg while fleeing alleged attack by Syrian nationals

A 15-year-old Iraqi boy fell to his death from the eighth floor of a high-rise building in Hamburg, Germany, while reportedly fleeing a violent assault by a group of Syrians.

The incident occurred on 14 April in the southern district of Wilstorf. According to police, a group, including the arrested Syrian suspects, forced their way into an apartment on the eighth floor of a 14-storey building.

In a desperate attempt to escape, the Iraqi teenager climbed over the balcony railing to reach the floor below but lost his grip and fell.

Emergency responders found the boy unresponsive. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Five individuals were initially arrested shortly after the fall. Four Syrian males, aged 16 to 20, were taken into custody, and arrest warrants were issued on suspicion of attempted grievous bodily harm resulting in death.

A fifth person, a 22-year-old Iraqi woman, was also detained but later released due to a lack of evidence linking her to the crime.

As the investigation progressed, police arrested three more suspects, also Syrian nationals. An 18-year-old and a 24-year-old were detained in Hamburg on Wednesday evening, while a 19-year-old was arrested in the town of Bordesholm, Schleswig-Holstein. All three remain in custody under court-ordered temporary detention.

Authorities have not yet determined the motive behind the attack. Investigators are working to establish whether the suspects knew the victim, and whether the apartment was his permanent residence or a temporary stay.

Although initial reports suggested the use of weapons such as a machete, police have not confirmed this detail.

Forensic teams and sniffer dogs were deployed at the scene shortly after the incident. Given the number of suspects and the violent nature of the assault, police say the investigation is being treated as a matter of urgency.