German police said Rudat was beaten by one assailant while another stabbed him with a 6-inch knife.
An American tourist has spoken out for the first time after being viciously attacked while defending two women on a tram in Dresden. John Rudat, 21, from Niskayuna, New York, suffered a deep facial wound after being slashed with a six-inch knife by one of two assailants. He later told German media that he feared for the safety of the women and other passengers before stepping in. “The cut was so deep… I could visibly tell my nose was cut in half,” Rudat said, as quoted by Bild.
The incident occurred on tram line 7 near the Goldener Reiter stop. German police said Rudat was beaten by one man before being stabbed by another. He underwent emergency surgery and shared on Instagram that he was “grateful to be alive.”
Suspect Re-Arrested Amid Growing Outcry
Authorities initially arrested a 21-year-old Syrian national but controversially released him within 12 hours due to insufficient evidence, Senior Public Prosecutor Jürgen Schmidt told Bild. However, following new evidence, police re-arrested the suspect on August 26 and obtained a warrant. A second suspect, believed to be the stabber, remains on the run as investigators analyse tram surveillance footage and appeal for eyewitnesses, The Independent reported.
The US Embassy in Berlin condemned the attack, stating on X, “While courageously intervening to protect a fellow passenger, he was viciously attacked. We urge German authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Debate Over Knife Crime and Public Safety
From his hospital bed, Rudat criticised the suspect’s earlier release, saying, “If Germans are held to law and structure, but these people can swing knives, hurt, and terrorise citizens, then what do we do?” His remarks fuelled public anger amid reports of a 17% rise in knife attacks in Germany in 2025, according to The European Conservative.
Far-right figures, including Petr Bystron of Alternative for Germany, seized on the incident to attack immigration policy. However, Rudat clarified in an interview with journalist Julian Reichelt that “the problem wasn’t anyone’s race. It was violence against women,” urging focus on public safety rather than political rhetoric.
Recovery and Support Campaign
Rudat, who previously trained in martial arts and firefighting in Germany, faces a long recovery that may impact his modelling career. His brother, Logan, told The New York Post, “I would’ve been surprised if he hadn’t stepped in. It’s part of his character.”
A GoFundMe campaign launched by family friend Molly Sheldon has raised more than $48,000 to cover medical expenses, according to the platform. Rudat is expected to return to the United States in one to two weeks while Dresden police continue to hunt for the second suspect.