Three people were killed and four others severely wounded in a knife attack at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on Friday, according to a spokeswoman from the nearby Düsseldorf police.
The police have initiated a “major operation” to locate the suspect, who remains at large. A “wide area” around the scene has been cordoned off, with a significant police presence including special forces and a helicopter, as reported by a photographer. The attacker reportedly targeted people indiscriminately, according to the Bild daily.
The festival, which was part of a series of events marking Solingen’s 650th anniversary, was abruptly halted. In a statement posted online, Solingen’s Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach expressed deep “shock, horror, and great grief,” stating, “We all wanted to celebrate our town’s anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured.”
Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser described the attack as deeply shocking and confirmed that authorities were making every effort to apprehend the perpetrator. “The brutal attack on the city festival in Solingen has profoundly shocked us,” Faeser said in a statement on the social media platform X.
Mayor Kurzbach thanked emergency services and extended his sympathy to witnesses of the attack, saying, “It tears my heart apart that there was an attack on our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives.”
North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wuest also expressed his “shock and grief” on social media, condemning the “brutal and senseless violence” that struck the city. “The whole of North Rhine-Westphalia stands by the people of Solingen, especially the victims and their families,” Wuest said.
Solingen, with a population of about 150,000, was hosting the first day of a three-day “Festival of Diversity,” which included music, street theatre, and variety shows. Up to 75,000 visitors were expected.
Following the attack, one of the festival’s co-organizers announced its cancellation, leading to thousands of attendees vacating the area. The festival’s remaining events were also canceled.
Germany has experienced a number of knife attacks in the past year, prompting Interior Minister Faeser to vow a crackdown on knife crime. Notably, a police officer was killed and five people were injured in a knife attack at a far-right rally in Mannheim in late May.
