Manhunt for suspect after knife attack leaves 3 dead, others injured
A knife-wielding attacker killed three people and seriously injured at least five others late on Friday at a festival in the western German city of Solingen. Authorities reported that the attack occurred around 9.30 p.m. in the central Fronhof square, which was crowded with festival-goers.
Witnesses quickly alerted police to the scene, describing a man who was stabbing people indiscriminately. The assailant managed to flee the area before authorities arrived. The police believe the attack was carried out by a single perpetrator but have very little information on his identity or motives.
Philipp Müller, one of the festival organisers, addressed the crowd from the stage, urging attendees to stay calm and alert as the attacker remained at large. Helicopters and numerous police and emergency vehicles responded to the scene, and several streets in the vicinity were closed off.
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Regional security chief Herbert Reul, who visited the scene in the early hours of Saturday, initially reported five seriously injured individuals, though the number was later updated to six. Reul expressed his confusion over the motive behind the attack, stating that there was no clear information about the assailant.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach expressed his shock and sorrow in a Facebook post, stating, “This evening, we in Solingen are all in shock. We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together and now have dead and wounded to lament.” He added that the festival, which was meant to celebrate the city’s 650th anniversary with live music, cabaret, and acrobatics, has been cancelled for the remainder of the weekend.
The attack has drawn attention amid growing concerns over knife violence in Germany. In May, a similar incident involving an Afghan immigrant resulted in the death of a police officer. In response to the rising violence, Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has proposed stricter weapons laws, limiting public possession of knives to those with blades measuring up to 6 cm (2.4 inches), down from the current limit of 12 cm (4.7 inches).
The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and authorities are appealing to the public for any information that could lead to the identification and capture of the suspect.
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