Berlin, April 19 (NationPress) Two individuals were severely injured in a knife assault outside a supermarket in Rochlitz, eastern Germany.

A 23-year-old suspect was detained at the scene and has been placed in a correctional facility, as confirmed by police on Friday.

Police reports indicate that the man was seated near the entrance when a 59-year-old woman exited the supermarket, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Without any warning, he launched a knife attack, causing multiple stab wounds.

A witness who saw the incident quickly called for help, leading an 18-year-old employee from a nearby shop to step in.

The young man suffered serious injuries while trying to assist the victim.

Several bystanders were able to restrain the assailant until police arrived.

Authorities have initiated an investigation on suspicion of attempted manslaughter and are examining the details surrounding the event.

Both victims have been transported to the hospital for treatment and are not in life-threatening condition.

With the suspected perpetrator in custody, the police have launched an investigation into the assault.

Notably, the suspect had entered the supermarket on Thursday afternoon, despite being previously prohibited from the premises following a request by an employee for him to leave.

Germany is intensifying security measures against knife crimes, particularly after a deadly incident in the western city of Solingen last August.

In recent months, the German government has aimed to ban knives at public events such as festivals and sports matches, as well as prohibiting knives at train stations, which are often crime hotspots.

The nation has been shaken by a series of high-profile attacks, igniting a fierce debate over irregular immigration and public safety.

In August, three individuals were killed and eight injured during a stabbing attack at a street festival in Solingen, an incident claimed by the Islamic State group.

The outrage in Germany grew when it was revealed that authorities had missed the chance to deport the suspect, a Syrian asylum-seeker.

Chancellor Scholz expressed his frustration on Wednesday, stating, "I am sick of seeing such acts of violence occurring in our country every few weeks, by perpetrators who have actually come here to find protection here."

He added that "a false notion of tolerance is completely inappropriate here. The authorities must work as hard as possible to find out why the attacker was still in Germany."

The incident in Aschaffenburg occurs amid Germany's election campaign, following the dissolution of Scholz's coalition last November.

The Chancellor's center-left Social Democrats currently lag behind the conservative CDU-CSU bloc and the far-right Alternative for Germany, both of whom have pledged to crack down on immigration.

Conservative leader Friedrich Merz stated on social media after the assault, "Things cannot go on like this. We must and will restore law and order!"

The AfD's top candidate, Alice Weidel, also posted a message on social media demanding "remigration now!"—a term adopted by right-wing groups calling for mass deportations of migrants.