- Three individuals succumbed to stabbing incidents during the Solinger City Festival.
A perpetrator slaughtered three individuals and wounded five others with a blade at Solingen's 650th birthday celebration on a Friday night. The incident has been categorized as an attack due to the intentional nature of the assault. The attacker remains unidentified and at large as of midnight, with no confirmed details about their appearance or location.
"As of now, we don't have any information on the suspect's whereabouts," a police spokesperson stated. Alexander Kresta, spokesperson for the Wuppertal police, elaborated, "Our primary challenge is the lack of details about the suspect. The eyewitnesses who were close to the scene are in distress and are being attended to by professionals while being interrogated to gather more information."
Nevertheless, investigators suspect that a single suspect carried out the attack, based on all the statements obtained up to now. No information regarding any other individuals involved has been disclosed.
The attacker managed to flee the scene in the confusion and panic that ensued after the attack, as reported by a police spokesperson from the NRW Interior Ministry. The attacker targeted the necks of their victims, who were attendees of the festival. The crime scene investigation is ongoing, and the bodies are yet to be identified. The attack occurred at Fronhof, a market square in Solingen's city center.
The police urge anyone observing suspicious activities to contact the emergency number 110 instead of taking matters into their own hands. The Wuppertal police have also advised people to stay away from the Solingen city center via Facebook.
Minister President Hendrik Wüst arrived at the scene and expressed his shock. "Suddenly, someone attacked people randomly with a knife," he stated. The victims include one woman and two men.
The city has suspended the remaining two days of the three-day festival, as well as all weekend events.
The attacker assaulted random pedestrians around 9:37 PM, triggering a massive response from emergency services. At least one helicopter is in the air, numerous emergency vehicles are deployed, and streets are cordoned off. Armed officers are securing the scene, with barriers and screens erected around the city. According to the "Solinger Tageblatt," attendees followed the evacuation instructions calmly and without panic. "People are shocked but maintain their peace," said Philipp Müller, one of the event organizers.
A journalist from the "Solinger Tageblatt" described the atmosphere as "uncanny." The jovial festivities gave way to shock within minutes, with tearful visitors departing the scene.
Solingen's mayor, Tim Kurzbach, reacted with shock and sadness. "Tonight, all of us in Solingen are shocked, horrified, and deeply saddened," he wrote on the city's Facebook page. "It breaks my heart to think that our city has fallen victim to an attack. I shed tears thinking about those we've lost. I pray for the speedy recovery of those who are fighting for their lives."
Minister President Hendrik Wüst described the attack as "an act of brutal and senseless violence." The incident "struck our nation to the core," he wrote on the X platform. North Rhine-Westphalia was united in shock and mourning. "In these challenging hours, the hearts and thoughts of our nation and beyond are with Solingen," the CDU politician continued. And: "A heartfelt thank you goes to the many rescue services and our police, who are fighting for lives in these crucial minutes."
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wrote on the X platform: "Let us hope that the rescue services will be successful in saving the lives of the still-living wounded and the police in apprehending the cowardly and despicable perpetrator on the run."
In celebration of Solingen's 650th anniversary, a "Festival of Diversity" commenced on Friday. It was scheduled to last until Sunday. The announcement stated: "Solingen Mitte will transform into the great festival mile: From the Neumarkt via the Fronhof to the Mühlenplatz, there will be festivities." The streets welcomed visitors with a schedule of music, cabaret, acrobatics, arts and crafts, entertainment for children, and much more.
Faeser recently proposed strengthening gun regulations
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) had recently proposed strengthening gun regulations in response to the increase in knife attacks. In public, knives may only be carried up to a blade length of six centimeters, instead of the previous twelve centimeters. There should be a general ban on carrying dangerous switchblades.
In mid-June, a 27-year-old Afghan in Wolmirstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, was shot by police after allegedly stabbing a 23-year-old first and then injuring several individuals at a private EDM garden party. In Mannheim, on May 31, an Afghan injured five members of the Islam-critical movement Pax Europa and a police officer with a knife. The police officer later passed away.
The investigation is currently focused on the single suspect responsible for the attack, as no information about any other potential involvement has been disclosed. Furthermore, the authorities are urging the public to report any suspicious activities directly to the emergency number 110 to aid in the ongoing investigation.
