Knife Attacks in Central Sofia: Four Injured, Suspect Detained (Overview)

A woman suspected of carrying out last night’s knife attacks on four German nationals in central Sofia has been detained. She has a history of criminal offences and has displayed aggressive behaviour on multiple occasions, although she has not previously undergone a formal psychiatric assessment.

Police launched a search following two separate attacks in the city centre. The first occurred near the “St Vasil Levski” metro station on March 26, where two men aged 63 and 65 were stabbed. Around 20 minutes later, a second attack took place at a bus stop on route 94 near the National Palace of Culture, where two women aged 26 and 30 were also wounded. All four victims are German citizens. The suspect was located at her home address several hours later.

Deputy Director of the Sofia Directorate of the Interior, Senior Commissioner Nikolay Peltekov, said there was no evidence that the attack specifically targeted foreign nationals of a particular country, nor any indication of terrorism. “According to the information we have, she has displayed episodic aggressive behaviour. Everything appears to have been entirely random,” he said.

Sofia Police Seek Woman after Four People Stabbed in City Centre (update)

Two hours before the first attack, Konstantin Kostadinov was travelling on bus route 102 when the woman in question sat next to him.

He said her behaviour struck him as unusual. She addressed him in English, apparently assuming he was a foreigner, and offered assistance. When he replied that he was Bulgarian, she told him he did not look like one and appeared offended when he took it as a compliment, before moving to the front of the bus.

Konstantin Kostadinov: “I was checking on Google where I needed to get off, and she must have thought I was a foreigner. She asked me in good English whether I needed help. I replied in English, and then said, ‘Thank you, but I’m not a foreigner — I’m Bulgarian.’”

The woman told him he did not look like one, to which Konstantin responded by thanking her for the compliment.

Konstantin Kostadinov: “She told me it wasn’t a compliment and, slightly offended, moved to the front near the driver. She seemed to have some kind of plan in mind and appeared to be looking for foreigners. You could tell from the expression on her face that she was not very adequate.”

A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered. The attacker had not previously undergone a formal assessment, and pre-trial proceedings have been opened on suspicion of attempted murder. She is known to the police from previous incidents.

In 2020, she was detained for an armed robbery at a commercial premises near the Fifth Police Station in Sofia. In 2023, she was given a 10-day detention order by the Sofia District Court for disorderly conduct within the jurisdiction of the First Police Station and was held at a Ministry of Interior facility under the Seventh Police Station. She was also reported missing by her mother in 2023.

The victims are in a stable condition. Three have been discharged for home treatment, while the fourth underwent surgery at Pirogov emergency hospital.

What is the Condition of Those Injured in the Knife Attack in Central Sofia?