Iris Stalzer, mayor of the city of Herdecke in western Germany and a member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was found Tuesday morning at her home with multiple stab wounds, according to local authorities.

As reported by the public broadcaster WDR, Stalzer was found alive by rescuers, but her condition is described as extremely serious and life-threatening. Police confirmed that she was rushed to the hospital, where she is receiving intensive medical care.

According to German media, Stalzer was reportedly attacked in front of her home and managed to drag herself to her apartment before collapsing. As BILD reports, her children, aged 15 and 17, were at home and were the ones who notified the authorities. Her son reportedly told police that his mother had been attacked by several men on the street.

Stalzer had only recently been elected mayor. In the second round of the municipal elections on September 28, she defeated the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) candidate Fabian Konrad Haas with 52.2% of the vote.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his deep sorrow and shock over the attack: “We received news of a heinous act in Herdecke. It must now be thoroughly investigated. We fear for the life of elected Mayor Iris Stalzer and hope for her full recovery,” Merz wrote on platform X. The German chancellor added that his thoughts are with Stalzer’s family and loved ones, emphasizing the need for swift justice in response to the incident.

Police continue to investigate the scene and collect evidence, while the building where the mayor resides remains cordoned off. Authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia have been fully mobilized, with local residents expressing shock and concern over this unprecedented attack on an elected official.