Three killed, at least five injured in knife attack at festival in Germany
- In Reports
- 10:50 PM, Aug 24, 2024
- Myind Staff
Three people were killed and at least five severely wounded in a knife attack at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on 23rd August, according to a spokeswoman for the police in nearby Duesseldorf.
Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9:30 p.m. about an unknown assailant who had indiscriminately wounded several people with a knife in the central square, Fronhof. Police reported that the attacker remains at large and that they currently have very little information about him. They said they believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker.
Police have initiated a “major operation” to locate the suspect, who remains at large, according to the spokeswoman. A “wide area” has been cordoned off. The scene saw a substantial police presence, including special forces and a helicopter, as reported by an AFP photographer.
The attacker had “stabbed people indiscriminately with a knife,” the Bild daily reported. The festival was part of a series of events to celebrate the city’s 650th birthday.
In a statement posted online, Tim-Oliver Kurzbach, the mayor of Solingen, said the whole city was in “shock, horror and great grief.” “We all wanted to celebrate our town’s anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured,” he said.
During a visit to the crime scene in the early hours of Saturday, Interior Minister Reul stated that the motive behind the attack remains unknown. Reul also noted that the attacker fled the scene "relatively quickly."
The Festival of Diversity, which was celebrating Solingen's 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was scheduled to continue through Sunday. However, it was cancelled following the attack.
Solingen, with a population of about 160,000, is situated near the larger cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf.
Image source: AP
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