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Police pore over Polish truck driver’s final hours for clues to Berlin attack Police pore over Polish truck driver’s final hours for clues to Berlin attack
(35 minutes later)
The Polish driver found dead in the truck that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market on Monday night “had fought for his life” before being killed by the unknown assailant or assailants behind the attack.The Polish driver found dead in the truck that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market on Monday night “had fought for his life” before being killed by the unknown assailant or assailants behind the attack.
The truck driver was identified as Lukasz Urban, a 37-year-old who was described as a “good, quiet and honest person” by Lukasz Wasik, the manager of the trucking company. The driver was identified as Łukasz Urban, a 37-year-old who was described as a “good, quiet and honest person” by Łukasz Wasik, the manager of the trucking company.
Investigators on Tuesday were poring over every detail of Urban’s final hours in Berlin in their search for clues about who might be behind the attack which killed 12 people.Investigators on Tuesday were poring over every detail of Urban’s final hours in Berlin in their search for clues about who might be behind the attack which killed 12 people.
Urban arrived in Berlin on Monday morning, a day ahead of schedule, to deliver 25 tonnes of steel beams to a warehouse owned by German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp. The company confirmed on Tuesday that it turned away the driver because it was unable to unload the beams, which originated in Turin, Italy. The company told Urban, who was from the western village of Roznowo, near the border with Germany, to return on Tuesday. Urban arrived in Berlin on Monday morning, a day ahead of schedule, to deliver 25 tonnes of steel beams to a warehouse owned by ThyssenKrupp. The steelmaking firm confirmed on Tuesday that it turned away the driver because it was unable to unload the beams, which had originated in Turin, Italy. The company told Urban, who was from the western village of Różnowo, near the border with Germany, to return on Tuesday.
ThyssenKrupp told the Guardian it did not know where the driver went next. The company’s warehouse is located a few kilometres from Breitscheidplatz, the site of the attack.ThyssenKrupp told the Guardian it did not know where the driver went next. The company’s warehouse is located a few kilometres from Breitscheidplatz, the site of the attack.
Ariel Zurawski, the owner of the trucking company and the victim’s cousin who identified Urban in a photograph, said one thing was clear: Urban engaged in a struggle with his killer. Zurawski told Polish broadcaster TVP that Urban’s face had been left “swollen and bloodied”. Ariel Zurawski, the owner of the trucking company and the victim’s cousin, who identified Urban in a photograph, said it was clear that Urban engaged in a struggle with his killer. He told the Polish broadcaster TVP that Urban’s face had been left “swollen and bloodied”.
“It was really clear that he fought,” Zurawski said.“It was really clear that he fought,” Zurawski said.
Police told him that Urban – who Zurawski said was at the “wrong place at the wrong time” – was stabbed and shot.Police told him that Urban – who Zurawski said was at the “wrong place at the wrong time” – was stabbed and shot.
Police found blood-soaked clothes in the cab of the truck, according to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine. The newspaper said police suspected that Urban was shot with a small caliber gun. Holger Münch, head of federal crime office, told reporters that no weapons had yet been found. Police found blood-soaked clothes in the cab of the truck, according to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper. It said police suspected Urban was shot with a small calibre gun.
Holger Münch, the head of the federal crime office, told reporters no weapons had yet been found.
After Urban was overpowered, his body was placed on the passenger seat of the truck.After Urban was overpowered, his body was placed on the passenger seat of the truck.
The German interior minister, Karl-Heinz Schröter, confirmed the driver was a victim and not an assailant in the market attack.The German interior minister, Karl-Heinz Schröter, confirmed the driver was a victim and not an assailant in the market attack.
As the frantic search for the assailant behind the attack continued, the people who were the last to speak with Urban described the little they knew about the final hours of his life. The Berlin police chief, Klaus Kandt, said investigators knew the exact movements of the truck from its GPS, but were not revealing more details.
A spokeswoman for ThyssenKrupp confirmed that Urban had arrived at the Berlin warehouse on Monday morning, but said the company could not pinpoint the exact time of his arrival. A spokeswoman for ThyssenKrupp confirmed Urban had arrived at the Berlin warehouse on Monday morning, but said the company could not pinpoint the exact time of his arrival.
“He arrived at the facility and asked if there was a previous time and slot available, which we could not offer because it was full. So we asked him to come back at his scheduled slot, [on Tuesday] morning,” the spokeswoman said.“He arrived at the facility and asked if there was a previous time and slot available, which we could not offer because it was full. So we asked him to come back at his scheduled slot, [on Tuesday] morning,” the spokeswoman said.
The account was confirmed by Zurawski, who told reporters that Urban had been told to park nearby.The account was confirmed by Zurawski, who told reporters that Urban had been told to park nearby.
Urban then called his cousin Zurawski. The truck driver had parked and wanted to get a kebab sandwich. According to the Associated Press, Zurawski showed reporters a photo on his phone of his cousin in a kebab shop around 2pm, the last photo known of him still alive. Urban then called his cousin Zurawski. The truck driver had parked and said he wanted to get a kebab sandwich. According to the Associated Press, Zurawski showed reporters a photo on his phone of his cousin in a kebab shop around 2pm, the last photo known of him still alive.
Berlin police chief Klaus Kandt said investigators knew the exact movement of the truck from the GPS on the truck, but were not revealing more details. “We made a few jokes,” Zurawski said. In the conversation, Urban reportedly called the area a “strange neighbourhood” and said the only Germans were employees of the company, in an apparent reference to ThyssenKrupp.
“We made a few jokes,” Zurawski said. In the conversation, Urban reportedly called the area a “strange neighbourhood” and said that the only Germans who were there were employees of the company, in an apparent reference to ThyssenKrupp.
“I liked him very much, we made plans over the phone to meet on Christmas,” Zurawski said.“I liked him very much, we made plans over the phone to meet on Christmas,” Zurawski said.
Urban, who had a teenage son, then called his wife at about 3pm, but she was unable to talk, according to the AP. When his wife tried to ring him again an hour later, no one answered the phone. Urban, who had a teenage son, called his wife at about 3pm, but she was unable to talk, according to the AP. When his wife tried to ring him back an hour later, no one answered the phone.
“The phone was just silent, silent. He should have picked up if he was on a break, particularly if his wife was calling,” Zurawski told TVP.“The phone was just silent, silent. He should have picked up if he was on a break, particularly if his wife was calling,” Zurawski told TVP.
Zurawski said he could tell something was wrong at about 3.45pm, when the truck’s GPS started to show the vehicle was being driven erratically, “as if someone was learning to drive”. The truck crashed into the Christmas market a few hours later.Zurawski said he could tell something was wrong at about 3.45pm, when the truck’s GPS started to show the vehicle was being driven erratically, “as if someone was learning to drive”. The truck crashed into the Christmas market a few hours later.
On Tuesday morning, Beata Szydlo, Poland’s prime minister, said Urban had been “the first victim of this heinous act of violence”. On Tuesday morning, Beata Szydło, Poland’s prime minister, said Urban had been “the first victim of this heinous act of violence”.