Tussling at the Skyline Plaza - A Criminal Clash Unfolded
A chaotic sequence of events unfolded in Frankfurt-Höchst on April 28, 2023, starting at 5 p.m., as conflicting criminal organizations went head-to-head. Two clashes resulting in injuries took place at the Skyline Plaza shopping center's parking deck.
Fistfights and violence in the heart of Frankfurt
The first showdown occurred at around 5 p.m., where conflicted parties exchanged punches and pepper spray, resulting in severe injuries for a 40-year-old man, who was stabbed in the chest, and a 28-year-old man, who sustained injuries to his hand.
The events escalated further, and at around 10.15 p.m., a brutal attack on a kiosk in Königsteiner Straße took place. Three perpetrators, approximately 1.80 to 1.95 meters tall, threw shelves and attacked the employee with pepper spray. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries.
Underlying tensions in the city
Unfortunately, these incidents are linked to a tense, long-term conflict between two rival criminal organizations – the multinational group that grew from a Frankfurt-Sossenheim street gang and the Turkish extended family S., who operate official kiosks and restaurants within the city. Police claim that their struggle is primarily about large-scale drug dealing and illegal gambling, with both sides vying to establish dominance in the area.
The rivalry between these criminal entities has lasted over three years, preceded by another significant incident in Breite Gasse in January 2021. A showdown occurred just outside a "Penthouse No 1" brothel, when gang members targeted the family S.'s kiosk, aiming to destroy it and physically attack the employees. Shots were fired, resulting in one injury from "friendly fire."
Police intervention and investigations
Three criminal trials took place in fall 2022, accounting for six members of the Sossenheimers who were charged in the Breite Gasse incident. Nonetheless, the escalating conflict that had already affected both organizations continued.
Unfortunately, the showdown at Skyline Plaza sparked retaliatory arson attacks against a supermarket owned by the S family in Sossenheim aboard the same evening. The Frankfurt analysists department is actively investigating the arson attack and any potential links to the ongoing conflict.
Characteristics of the attackers
The first perpetrator wore jeans, a black sweater, a black mask, white gloves, a necklace, and pink and black Nike sneakers with black and white soles. He pulled out a pistol during the crime.
The second and third attackers were described nearly identically, with slight differences: the second wore a black sweater complete with a Nike jacket and beat the victim behind the counter, while the third was five cm shorter, corpulent, and entirely dressed in black.
Anyone with information regarding the identity of the attackers is urged to contact the Frankfurt police at 069-75 55 12 99.
The legacy of organized crime
The tale of the conflicted criminal organizations has a dark history, marked by numerous incidents of robbery and attempted manslaughter. In this saga of turmoil, a significant turning point occurred when the shooting incident at Breite Gasse in 2021 led to multiple charges.
One of the major figures in this sordid story was Nils Christian H., a former "Hell's Angel" who was convicted of manslaughter in 2006 based on evidence from gardener Kolja's video surveillance footage from the Skyline Plaza garage. He was initially sentenced to nine years in prison but received a more lenient sentence of three years and nine months for the Skyline Plaza incident.
Aftermath and the fight for dominance
The war between the criminal organizations seemed not to quell, with both sides sustaining injuries by serious consequences of these continuous conflicts during and after the trials. Despite the establishment of a special task force (Soko), the clan war persisted, with violent acts between both factions.
The Skyline Plaza garage incident escalated the conflict, leading to further skirmishes in the months that followed. In May and July, a moving car was shot at in Niederrad, while a betting shop in Nordend was attacked, resulting in injuries to at least one man.
The continuation of this bloody conflict between the criminal organizations does not seem to be abating any time soon. Efforts to apprehend key members and stifle their illegal activities continue to be at the forefront of police mobilization in Frankfurt-Höchst.
