An arrest has been made in the high-profile case of a man who kicked a woman down a flight of subway stairs in Berlin, Germany – an attack that horrified the world when video of the incident went viral.
Svetoslav Stoykov, 27, of Varna, Bulgaria, was taken into custody at a bus station upon his return to Berlin from France, where authorities think he went to hide with relatives in coastal town of Nice.
The attack took place in October, but police released closed-circuit security footage Dec. 7 seeking help from the public in solving the crime.
The footage shows the assailant holding a cigarette and a beer as he walked up behind a woman to kick her down the stairs.
See the video from the Bild newspaper:
[jwplayer 37ow57K1]
The 26-year-old victim, whose identity has not been made public, plummeted down to the floor, resulting in a broken arm and trip to the hospital.
The video shows the attacker and three companions stroll away without regard for the woman’s well-being.
Thomas Fels, a spokesman for the Berlin prosecutor, says Stoykov has already made a statement, but he could not provide further details.
Officials have not made a decision on final charges for Stoykov, but attempted murder has not been ruled out, carrying a potential prison term of 10 years in prison.
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According to the Guardian, Stoykov is a married father of three children, and has a criminal record for robbery, theft and hooliganism in his native Bulgaria. He was reportedly working in a restaurant and on a building site in Berlin.
The suspect apparently was noticed by the driver of the bus headed for Berlin from France. Stoykov had reportedly complained about a noise a female passenger was making. The driver, who was a Czech national who also spoke Bulgarian, and another passenger recognized the suspect and phoned police. Stoykov did not resist arrest as police were waiting for him in Berlin.
The uncensored video of the attack:
[jwplayer JGL0qKgW]
As WND reported, the release of the video initially sparked a firestorm on social media, as some were blaming the attack on a migrant as a result of Germany’s policy of welcoming migrants, many of whom are Muslim.
