A desperate manhunt has been launched to find a knifeman who stabbed three people to death in a horrific ‘terror attack’ at a diversity festival in Germany.
A woman and two men were killed and eight others injured, five of them seriously, in the ‘brutal and senseless’ attack in the western German city of Solingen last night, police have said.
The attacker, who is currently on the run, randomly stabbed festivalgoers in the neck in the Fronhof central square at around 9.45pm before fleeing the scene.
Police have said they have very little information on the suspect so far but believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker.
One of the festival organizers, Philipp Müller, appeared on stage and asked festivalgoers to ‘go calmly; please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn’t been caught.’
Police and ambulances near the scene where people were killed and injured in an attack on Friday at a festival in Solingen, western Germany
Cordons have cropped up all over the city, with officers on patrol
It was not immediately clear how many casualties there were
Special forces units from all over North Rhine-Westphalia are on their way to Solingen
Eerie photos from the scene show officers and emergency services standing solemnly in the darkness, surrounded by blue flashing lights
Emergency services near the scene where people were killed and injured in an attack
Around 40 emergency service vehicles flooded to the scene of the horrific attack
The dark scenes in the city late at night following the tragedy
Germany’s armed special police officers have been deployed to assist at the scene
The usually quiet area had been packed with people last night for Solingen’s three-day Festival of Diversity.
But the upbeat atmosphere swiftly turned to terror when those gathered close to the stage reeled as a man randomly began stabbing attendees in the neck with a knife.
Eerie photos from the scene show officers and emergency services standing solemnly in the darkness, surrounded by blue flashing lights with a helicopter circling above.
During a lively performance by the Solingen world star DJ Topic, one of the organisers came on stage to call off the event and told the crowd to vacate the area.
Local media spoke to one eyewitness, who said it was during singer Suzan Köcher‘s set when he saw a person ‘fall over just a meter away’.
Lars Breitzke thought they were just drunk but – noting the expression of shock on the singer’s face – he turned and saw several others on the floor amid ‘pools of blood’.
Police are said to be classifying it as a terrorist attack, according to Bild. Germany’s armed special police officers have been deployed to assist at the scene.
Police spokesperson Alexander Kresta said: ‘We would like to have a precise description of the perpetrator. That is difficult. Witnesses are in shock or can’t speak at the moment.
‘We assume [it is] a single offender. He’s on the run. He killed three people at the city festival and seriously injured at least four. So we can’t say that he’s not dangerous.
‘But is he still on the run and looking for more victims? That would all be speculation. But of course I can’t say with one hundred per cent certainty that there is no danger from this person. That’s why we still advise caution.’
Solingen is also known as the ‘City of Blades’, as it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives, scissors and razors made by famous firms.
The tragedy comes amid a heated political debate about rising knife violence in German cities.
Chief Inspector Sascha Kresta from the Wuppertal police told the local newspaper: ‘The attacker stabbed people at random with a knife. There are currently three fatally injured victims, four seriously injured and people in shock.
Interior minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia Herbert Reul visits after the attack
The scenes late on Friday night following a devastating attack which saw several killed
A local reporter described the scenes as ‘spooky’ and said the party atmosphere turned to shock within minutes as festivalgoers began crying
Police officers gathered at the scene in the German city following Friday night’s horror
German special police forces work at the scene of the festival stabbing
‘A large-scale search for the attacker is underway, and we absolutely want to arrest the perpetrator. But investigations, forensic evidence and witness interviews are also ongoing at the same time.’
The local Solinger Tagblatt newspaper reported that authorities told people to leave central Solingen and nine people are fighting for their lives.
Bjorn Boch, the deputy editor-in-chief, said: ‘People were running away from the scene. Many were very calm so we didn’t have to panic but it was shocking and everybody who had to see that… I can’t imagine what that was like.’
He said the city was ‘packed with people’ as thousands arrived for Friday’s event.
Around 40 emergency service vehicles flooded to the scene of the horrific attack.
Special forces units from all over North Rhine-Westphalia rushed to Solingen to help.
It is understood that road crossings have been closed and residents are being asked to stay in their homes.
Photos from the scene show police officers with guns are patrolling the streets.
A local reporter described the scenes as ‘spooky’ and said the party atmosphere turned to shock within minutes as festivalgoers began crying.
Philipp Müller, the festival organiser, said: ‘People left the square in shock, but peacefully.’
Interior Minister Herbert Reul visited the crime scene at 1.20am and said: ‘Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness’
Emergency vehicles near the scene where people were killed and injured in the attack
Police officers secured the area of an incident, after several individuals were killed
Police and ambulances stand near the scene where a several people died in an attack
Police officers work after a man randomly stabbed people at a festival
State Premier Hendrik Wüst said north Rhine-Westphalia ‘is united in shock and grief’ in these ‘dark hours’.
He said: ‘An act of brutal and senseless violence has struck our state to the heart,’ according to The Telegraph.
Interior Minister Herbert Reul visited the crime scene at 1.20am and said: ‘Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness. We all wanted to celebrate our city anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured.
‘[It] breaks my heart that there was an assassination attack on our town. [There are] tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives.
‘Also to all the people who had to witness this, I have my great sympathies, they must have been terrible pictures. I thank all the emergency and security forces for their service.’
Mayor Tim Kurzbach said on social media: ‘This evening we are all in shock, horror and great sadness in Solingen.
‘We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together and now we have dead and injured people to mourn.
‘It breaks my heart 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.’
German politician Serap Güler posted on social media: ‘What happened in Solingen was terrible and horrible.
‘I hope above all that the injured victims of this terrible attack survive and that their families have a lot of strength.
Road crossings have been closed and residents are being asked to stay in their homes
Police officers stand guard on Friday night after a knife attack in Solingen
The dark scenes in Solingen on Friday after a festival was cancelled following an attack
According to German media, as the city was celebrating its 650th anniversary
Solingen has around 160,000 inhabitants and is located near the city of Duesseldorf
An ambulance and police stand near the scene on Friday night
‘Hopefully the perpetrator will be caught quickly. Our thoughts are with everyone who is on the scene.’
The ‘Festival of Diversity,’ marking the city’s 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with 80,000 people expected.
The festival was officially opened at around 7pm by Solingen’s mayor Tim Kurzbach.
Presenter Panagiota Petridou, a native of Solingen, was supposed to lead the evening, and her management confirmed she is safe.
Several stages were erected in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics.
Solingen has around 160,000 inhabitants and is located near the bigger cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf.
Germany’s top security official, interior minister Nancy Faeser, recently proposed toughening weapons laws to allow only knives with a blade measuring up to 6cm (nearly 2.4in) to be carried in public, rather than the length of 12cm (4.7in), which is allowed now.
The country has seen a series of knife attacks over the past 12 months.
A police officer was killed and five people were wounded in a knife attack at a far-right rally in the city of Mannheim in late May.