Three Dead, Five Injured in Knife Attack at German Festival

Three people were killed, and at least five others were injured in a knife attack during a festival in western Germany on Friday, August 23, according to authorities, as reported by the Associated Press. The incident occurred in the city of Solingen, where the “Festival of Diversity” was taking place.

The attack happened around 9:30 p.m. local time, when witnesses informed the police about an unknown individual who had attacked multiple people with a knife at the Fronhof, a central square in the city.

Authorities have stated that the attacker is still at large and that they currently have limited information about the suspect.

 

Lone Attacker Suspected

Police believe that a single individual was responsible for the stabbings. According to the Associated Press, at least one helicopter was seen in the area, along with numerous police and emergency vehicles, and several streets were cordoned off.

While the police initially reported five injuries, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul later stated that six people had been injured.

Interior Minister Reul visited the crime scene early Saturday and noted that the motive for the attack remains unclear. He added that the attacker fled the scene quickly.

One of the event organizers addressed the crowd from the stage, urging festivalgoers to leave calmly and to remain vigilant, as the perpetrator had not yet been apprehended.

 

Festival Cancelled

The Festival of Diversity, which was celebrating Solingen’s 650th anniversary, had started on Friday and was scheduled to continue through Sunday. However, the event was cancelled following the tragic incident.

Solingen, a city with about 160,000 residents, is located near Cologne and Düsseldorf.

Solingen’s Mayor Tim Kurzbach expressed his sorrow on Facebook, writing, “This evening, we in Solingen are all in shock. We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together, and now we have dead and wounded to mourn.”

He added, “It breaks my heart that such an attack has occurred in our city.”