Robin Faßbender, spokesman for the Bonn public prosecutor’s office said: “From what we have learned so far from the versions of events given, we are assuming there was only one perpetrator.” The suspected perpetrator is another boy. He is younger than fourteen and therefore below the age of criminal responsibility so would not need to appear in court. However, Faßbender said the child protection services would become involved.

A teacher from the Gesamtschule (high school) in Euskirchen called an emergency doctor on Thursday because the 12-year-old was complaining he was in pain and was dazed. It turned out he had suffered life threatening injuries after being beaten. He later had to be flown by helicopter to a Cologne hospital.When asked on Saturday whether the boy was still in a critical condition, Faßbender said he was still in intensive care.

Investigators have questioned several children in the presence of their parents. They did not want to give any further details of the case as they are hoping further witnesses will come forward. There were grounds for believing further schoolchildren may have witnessed the incident and they should not be influenced by what is reported publicly. Faßbender said the attack happened on school grounds during school hours.

Police and public proscecutors had followed up reports that fellow pupils may have been responsible for the attack shortly after they were informed about it. The twelve-year-old was initially responsive and could give them information. The Cologne district government said the high school has since received advice from a crisis manager. (Orig. Text: dpa; translated by Kate Carey.)