Man sentenced to life in Germany for arson that killed 4 in Solingen

By Erbil Basay

LONDON (AA) - A German court on Wednesday sentenced a man to life in prison for deliberately setting fire to an apartment building in Solingen in March 2024, killing four members of a Bulgarian-Turkish family.

The Wuppertal state court found 40-year-old Daniel S. guilty on four counts of murder and 21 counts of attempted murder.

The court also ordered financial compensation ranging from €2,000 ($2,285) to €20,000 for the victims’ relatives and survivors.

The fire broke out during the intervening night of March 24-25 in a four-story building in the Hohscheid district.

According to investigators, it started in the wooden stairwell and quickly spread through the building due to a “chimney effect.”

Two children were among the victims.

Daniel S., who confessed earlier in the trial, expressed remorse before the verdict, saying he was “deeply sorry” for the pain he caused. However, evidence suggested possible far-right extremist motives.

A note containing a racist poem was found in a garage he used, and investigators uncovered far-right content on a hard drive in his home.

Although prosecutors did not find clear links to extremist groups, the material raised concerns.

The case sparked renewed debate in Germany over racism and far-right violence targeting immigrant communities.