German prosecutors charge man with attempted murder of mayor

German prosecutors have filed attempted murder charges against a 44-year-old man over allegations he stabbed Cologne's new mayor while she was on the campaign trail in October.

Federal prosecutors said in a statement Tuesday that Frank S., whose last name wasn't released in line with German privacy laws, tried to kill Henriette Reker because of her welcoming attitude toward refugees "to send a signal and prevent her from being elected mayor."

Reker was hospitalized with life-threatening wounds in the attack the day before the election, but was elected nonetheless while in an induced coma. She took office about a month later after recovering.

Reker, who'd been in charge of housing refugees in Cologne, ran as an independent but was backed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats and two other parties.