Two American tourists who police say were attacked – one fatally – while hiking in Germany were identified as recent graduates of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, according to the school.
Eva Liu, 21, was allegedly attacked by a 30-year-old American man she had met while hiking near one of Germany’s most popular tourist sights, Neuschwanstein Castle, on Wednesday, according to Bavarian authorities.
A friend who was with her, Kelsey Chang, 22, attempted to rescue Liu but was pushed down a steep slope. Investigators say the man then attempted to commit a “sexual offense” on Liu before he pushed her down the slope too, causing her to fall about 50 meters below her friend.
15 June 2023, Bavaria, Schwangau: View of Neuschwanstein. A man attacked two women near the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle on Wednesday, seriously injuring one of them. The woman later died.
An American tourist has died following an attack near Germany’s Neuschwanstein Castle
Both women were rescued by emergency responders and taken to two separate hospitals. Chang survived, but Liu later died.
Neither woman previously knew the alleged attacker, an American whose name has not been released, police say. The man had persuaded the two young women to follow him down a hidden trail leading to a viewpoint before attacking, according to police.
After fleeing the scene, he is now in police custody on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and attempted sexual offense, according to authorities.
View from the Marienbruecke bridge into the Pollat gorge, near the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, on Friday.
View from the Marienbruecke bridge into the Pollat gorge, near the Neuschwanstein castle, in Schwangau, Germany, on Friday.
Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/AP
“Our University of Illinois family is mourning the senseless death of Ms. Liu and the attack on Ms. Chang,” said Robin Kaler, associate chancellor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
“Both had just graduated in May and should have been able to celebrate such an important accomplishment without the fear of such a tragic outcome.”
Source: cnn.com
