Police in Germany are investigating a 43-year-old man as the potential culprit behind an acid attack outside a café in the western city of Bochum on Sunday that left several people seriously injured.
The suspect is in police custody and is expected to be brought before a judge on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder, a police spokeswoman told dpa.
Police believe a 30-year-old man sitting at a table outside the café was the intended target of the attack. He was hit with the most acid and suffered serious injuries.
A woman sitting at the same table and a waitress working nearby were also injured. Two other guests who witnessed the incident suffered shock, while emergency responders were also injured after coming into contact with the potent acid.
In total, police said as many as 14 people could have been injured in the attack.
A police spokesman reported that the customers had been drinking coffee and eating cake "in a very relaxed manner" shortly before the attack.
The suspect was arrested nearby shortly afterwards. Homicide detectives searched his apartment in the town of Bergkamen, around 32 kilometres away, on Monday night.
Investigators have remained tight-lipped about the motive and background to the attack. Authorities are still conducting testing to determine the exact substance used in the attack.
