Winterthur psychiatric ward has procedures investigated after knife attack
Keystone-SDA
A psychiatric unit at the Swiss city of Winterthur has initiated an external investigation after a discharged patient stabbed three people at a train station.
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The perpetrator was categorised in the clinic as “not a danger to himself or others” before being released on Wednesday, a day before he launched his attack.
The external administrative inquiry will examine the processes and responsibilities that led to the man’s discharge, the Winterthur Integrated Psychiatric Ward (ipw) announced.
The ipw is shocked and deeply saddened by the events. The security director of the canton of Zurich, Mario Fehr, described the ipw’s assessment as an “obvious misjudgement”.
The 31-year-old had voluntarily reported himself to the Winterthur municipal police on Monday. They admitted him to a psychiatric ward on the basis of a precautionary placement.
On Wednesday, however, a doctor categorised him as low risk, and he was allowed to leave the clinic. The following day, he stabbed three people at a train station.
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Adapted from German by AI/mga
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