A man who went on a killing spree in a German synagogue and later convicted and sentenced to life in prison, took two prison guards hostage at the Berg prison in the German city of Magdeburg.
An hour after taking them hostage, other guards intervened and managed to free their colleagues unharmed. The attacker, however, sustained some injuries.
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Stephan Balliet admitted he wanted to kill everyone in the Synagogue
(Photo: Jens Schlueter/Getty Images)
The extreme right-wing man, Stephan Balliet, attacked a synagogue in 2019 during Yom Kippur, equipped with guns and explosives. Upon failing to enter the building, he killed a 40-year-old woman who was walking by and another man in his 20s, on top of wounding several others.
He had posted a tirade against Jews before trying to shoot his way into the synagogue in the eastern city of Halle while broadcasting the attack live on a popular gaming site. He was convicted of murder and attempted murder and sentenced him to life in prison.
In his trial, Balliet admitted he wanted to enter the synagogue and kill all 51 people who were present at the time, and only refrained from doing so after failing to open the heavy Synagogue doors. He also apologized for killing the 40-year-old woman, saying "I never wanted to kill whites".