At least three people were killed and five others were seriously injured in a knife attack at a festival in the city of Solingen in Germany on Friday night. No one has been arrested so far, but the police said they have launched a “major operation” to find the suspect and deployed a “large contingent” including a helicopter to search for the male assailant.
The suspect managed to flee from the crime scene in the turmoil and panic that initially spread after the crime, Deutsche Welle (DW) reported quoting a police spokesperson.
As per media reports, the suspect stabbed passers-by at random with a knife at the festival celebrating the city’s 650th anniversary. The festival, billed as the celebration of diversity, began on Friday and was supposed to run through to Sunday. Around 10,000 people attended the festivities. with many people gathered around a stage for live music performances on the Fronhof market square in the city centre.
At least 9 people stabbed at the festival of Diversity in Solingen, Germany with reports of multiple fatalities.
Germany’s armed special police officers have been deployed to assist at the scene. pic.twitter.com/zKjnVTgeNT
— Current Report (@Currentreport1) August 24, 2024
Most of those wounded are believed to have been attacked directly in front of the stage, as per a report by the German daily Bild, which added that the man appeared to target the throats of his victims.
In the wake of the attack, the Solingen has reportedly completely cancelled its 650th-anniversary celebrations.
Manhunt Underway
Police said they were alerted shortly after 9:30 pm about the incident that took place at Fronhof. Following the attack, authorities asked residents to leave the city centre. The police also issued a major alert and declared a manhunt.
As per the DW report, armed officers were on the scene and have cordoned off large areas of the city and put up barriers.
According to Bild, heavily armed SEK units with about 40 special vehicles from all over North Rhine-Westphalia had been deployed to Solingen. Road junctions have also been blocked and residents have been asked to stay indoors.
The German news agency DPA reported that the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul, had visited the site of the incident and warned against speculation. “Out of nowhere, someone is stabbing people at random. Nothing can be said about the person or the motive,” Reul said, adding that there are simply no reliable facts.
Meanwhile, Federal health minister Karl Lauterbach, in a statement, said he hoped “rescue teams can save the wounded who are still alive and that police can catch the cowardly and pathetic perpetrator”.