Pepper spray attack at Kassel gym leaves 15 injured and one hospitalized

A 25-year-old man sprayed pepper spray inside a fitness studio in Kassel’s Bahnhofsvorstadt district on Friday afternoon. The attack left 15 people with eye and breathing difficulties, while one woman needed hospital care. Police later arrested the suspect near the scene. The incident began when the man argued with his 25-year-old ex-partner at the gym on An der Weide street. During the confrontation, he pulled out a can of pepper spray and aimed it at her face. She managed to turn away, avoiding a direct hit, but the irritant quickly spread through the room.

The suspect initially fled the area on foot. He later returned on his bicycle, where police officers apprehended him. Authorities are now investigating charges of grievous bodily harm. Fifteen people suffered irritation from the spray, with one woman taken to hospital for treatment. The suspect remains in custody as the investigation continues.