Aggressive action or assault, maintaining the original names if they're present. - Three individuals succumb to stabbings during the Solingen City Celebration.
A perpetrator murdered three individuals using a knife during the 650th anniversary celebration of Solingen's city on a Friday night. The incident resulted in five severe injuries, as per reported data. The authorities classified the situation as an assault due to the discernible targeting.
The suspect was untraceable past midnight, as communicated by an official spokesperson. No substantial information regarding the suspect's appearance exists at this juncture.
According to Alexander Kresta, spokesperson of the Wuppertal police, this lack of information is our major predicament. Those who were close to the incident remain in shock. The authorities are attending to their needs and simultaneously questioning them to acquire more concrete information.
However, the investigators presume that only one perpetrator is involved, as Kresta further elucidated. All existing witness testimonies align with this perspective. "We are unaware of any additional individuals," Kresta affirmed.
The Perpetrator Fled Amidst Chaos
He managed to escape in the confusion and initial bedlam following the attack, disclosed a spokesperson for the North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Ministry. The assailant inflicted precise, targeted stabbings on his victims. They were all festival attendees. At present, the crime scene evidence is being collected. The bodies are still in situ and have yet to be identified.
The police spokesperson issued an advisory: Should you detect anything suspicious, avoid taking any independent action but contact the emergency number 110. The Wuppertal police encouraged people to avoid Solingen's city center via Facebook posts. Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) arrived at the scene during the night. He seemed visibly distressed.
The festival organizers decided to halt the originally scheduled three-day event. All planned activities for both Saturday and Sunday were also called off, as reported.
The perpetrator reportedly initiated random stabbings at around 21:37. An emergency alert was triggered as a result. At least one helicopter is in operation, several emergency vehicles with flashing lights are on the way, roads have been barricaded extensively.
Officers are guarding the location bearing weapons and ensuring safety. Ambulances are in continuous use. Various cordons have been set up throughout the city. Screens have been installed. The crime scene is Fronhof - a market square in the city center of Solingen.
The "Solinger Tageblatt" reported that thousands of visitors heeded the call to quietly leave the square, thereby avoiding panic. "The people are shocked but peaceful," mentioned Philipp Müller, one of the festival organizers, according to the report.
A journalist from the "Solinger Tageblatt" described the atmosphere as "chilling". The joyful festive setting turned into shock in an instant, and she encountered attendees with tears running down their faces.
Mayor Expresses Condolences
Solingen's mayor, Tim Kurzbach, expressed shock. "This evening, we in Solingen are collectively in disbelief, terror, and immense sadness," Kurzbach wrote on the city's Facebook page. "Tonight, our city was the target of an attack. My heart breaks thinking about those we have lost. I pray for all those still fighting for their lives."
Minister President Describes the Incident as "Cruel and Senseless Act of Violence." The incident left an indelible mark on our nation, according to Hendrik Wüst on the X platform. "Tonight, the heart of our country ached," Wüst wrote. "In these dark moments, the people of our nation and beyond share their warmth and compassion with Solingen."
Federal Health Minister Hopes for the Safety of the Survivors and the Arrest of the Perpetrator.
On the occasion of Solingen's 650th anniversary, a "Festival of Diversity" commenced on Friday. It was intended to conclude on Sunday. The announcement mentioned, "Solingen Mitte will transform into the festival mile: from Neumarkt via Fronhof to Mühlenplatz, festivities await visitors." The streets would offer entertainment including music, cabaret, acrobatics, arts and crafts, activities for children, and more.
Recently, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) announced stricter gun control regulations in response to the rise in knife attacks. It is now recommended to restrict public knife carrying to a blade length of no more than six centimeters instead of the previous twelve centimeters. There will be a general ban on carrying dangerous switchblades.
In mid-June, a 27-year-old Afghan man in Wolmirstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, was shot by the police after allegedly stabbing a 23-year-old individual initially and then injuring several partygoers at a private EM garden party. On May 31, an Afghan man injured five members of the Islam-critical movement Pax Europa and a police officer with a knife in Mannheim. The police officer later succumbed to his injuries.
The authorities are urging the public to report any suspicious activities to the emergency number 110, as they are currently unaware of any other potential perpetrators apart from the one who inflicted precise stabbings at the festival. Despite the ongoing investigations, the identity of the perpetrator who fled amidst the chaos remains unknown.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach expressed his condolences, stating that the city of Solingen is collectively in disbelief, terror, and immense sadness after the incident, which has been described by Federal Health Minister as a "cruel and senseless act of violence."
