Two Syrians stab a young man from the U.S. after he stopped a sexual assault on a German woman

A violent incident on a Dresden tram has once again placed the issue of public safety and the role of immigration at the center of German public debate.

A 21-year-old American man was seriously injured after preventing an alleged sexual assault against a German female passenger in the early hours of Sunday.

The incident occurred on tram line 7, between the Weixdorf and Pennrich stops, and ended with a knife attack that left the tourist with multiple cuts on his face.

According to the police report, the episode began when two individuals were harassing a group of girls inside the carriage.  The young American intervened to stop the situation  and a fight broke out. According to witnesses, the strikers hit him at first and, minutes later, one of them returned with a knife, causing him significant injuries.

Passengers improvised bandages to contain the bleeding until emergency services arrived and transported the victim to a hospital. Despite the severity of the injuries, it was confirmed that his life is not in danger.

The police arrested one of the suspects, identified as Majd A., a 21-year-old Syrian citizen with a record of theft and bodily harm. He was intercepted 2,297 feet (700 meters) from the scene while  attempting to flee on a rented electric scooter. Investigations indicate that he participated in the initial physical assault, although not in the knife attack.  The perpetrator of the stabbing remains at large.

The prosecutor's office decided to grant provisional release to Majd A., arguing that there was not enough evidence to link him to the stabbing and that his permanent residence in Dresden reduced the risk of flight.

Prosecutor Jürgen Schmidt stated: "There was not sufficient evidence to link him directly to the stabbing and, since he has a permanent residence in Dresden, he was not considered a flight risk or a risk of obstructing the judicial process".

The tram's security cameras are being analyzed to determine responsibility. Police spokesperson Thomas Geithner confirmed that "doctors specified that the young American suffered multiple cuts on his face"  and clarified that the video surveillance footage will be key to clarifying the events.

Meanwhile, the victim posted a video on social media in which he stated:  "They commit crimes and are released because they're not from these countries, but all the police know them". His words add to a climate of growing discussion about immigration and security in Europe, a debate that this case brings back to the forefront.