A 22-year-old man has been identified as the individual responsible for the incident involving the derailment of tram 22 in Sofia, the prosecutor’s office confirmed during a briefing. Surveillance footage revealed that two people were near the tram while the driver stepped away, and one of them manipulated a handle through a side window, causing the tram to move.

Sofia Deputy City Prosecutor Vihar Georgiev explained that the tram driver had left to purchase coffee when the two individuals attempted to enter the vehicle through a passenger door. Failing to gain entry, one of them reached through a side window and set the tram in motion. Initially, the authorities detained the perpetrator’s friend, a 29-year-old man, who admitted involvement and produced chat messages confirming the 22-year-old’s actions.

The State Department of Internal Affairs director, Lyubomir Nikolov, stated that the perpetrator acted under the influence of a significant amount of alcohol. Both he and his friend had purchased vodka from a nearby store shortly before the incident. The 22-year-old confessed after being detained, and he faces charges for damaging rolling stock, which carries a prison sentence ranging from five to fifteen years. He also has a prior theft conviction and is currently on probation. The prosecutor’s office intends to request his pre-trial detention.

Authorities are conducting further investigations to determine whether the tram’s conductor fulfilled official duties during the incident. A witness has been questioned in front of a judge, and expert examinations of the tram and surveillance materials are ongoing under the supervision of the prosecutor.