Murder of Ukrainian basketball player in Germany: New details emerge

Not only one suspect

Indeed, at the Essen police headquarters, a group of suspects potentially involved in the crime has been identified.

"There are two suspects, 14 and 15 years old, from the cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herne. Initially, they were arrested, but later the 14-year-old German with Greek roots was released from custody because the suspicion against him was not confirmed," the publication writes.

Meanwhile, the 15-year-old German with Turkish roots was remanded in custody on a serious suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, which the police and prosecutors in Essen announced on Monday. He is already known to the police as an experienced offender.

Two other victims besides Ukrainians

According to the police, along with Yermakov and Kozachenko, there was a 14-year-old Syrian from Gelsenkirchen and a 13-year-old German girl with Lebanese roots from Oberhausen. These two teenagers also sustained serious injuries.

The reason for attack unknown

Even though, as stated by an Essen police spokesperson on February 12, "the circumstances of what happened are still unclear" and "nothing is known about the motives," the police do not consider it a politically motivated attack.

"The investigation is ongoing," German journalists note.

Yermakov's murder

In Dusseldorf, Germany, two Ukrainian basketball players fell victim to an attack. Unknown assailants with knives targeted the boys because of their nationality.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has taken special control over the investigation into the murder of Ukrainian basketball player Volodymyr Yermakov in Germany. It is now known that the attacker has been apprehended.

17-year-old Volodymyr Yermakov and his friend Artem Kozachenko played for Dusseldorf's ART Giants (U-19) youth team.