image source, AP
Comment on the picture, German police enforce a security cordon at the scene of the attack
- Author, Yaroslav Lukiev
- role, BBC News
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August 24, 2024, 04:05 GMT
Last updated 1 hour ago
German police said three people were killed and five others were seriously injured in a knife attack in the western German town of Solingen.
The attack happened at a festival in the city center on Friday night; The Bild website reported that a man stabbed random passers-by, and reports indicate that the assailant is still at large.
A massive manhunt is now underway, as police helicopters were seen hovering over the business town, which was celebrating its 650th anniversary.
City authorities asked residents to leave the Frohnhof market area, where police set up security cordons, after the attack which took place around 22:00 local time (21:00 GMT).
Media reports said emergency crews were seen at the scene treating the injured.
Police later deployed 40 tactical vehicles as part of the search for the suspect, according to Bild.
The vehicles are under the command of Special Task Force officers. Roads were closed, and residents were asked to stay in their homes while Special Forces men investigated.
Philipp Müller, one of the organizers of the festival, said that emergency teams were fighting to save the lives of nine people, according to the newspaper Zollinger Tagblatt.
“People are shocked, but they left the square peacefully,” Mueller said.
Witness Lars Bretzke told the newspaper that he knew something was wrong when he saw a singer on stage with a strange expression on his face.
“Then someone fell just one meter away from me,” he said.
The police in the nearby city of Dusseldorf announced at dawn on Saturday that “the police are currently looking for the person who committed the crime.”
She said that “the victims and the witnesses are being questioned right now,” noting that a “large battalion” of police is looking for the suspect.
A police spokesman in the city of Dusseldorf told the French news agency that there is still no detailed description of the suspect, noting that police are seeking information about the attack, including any photos and videos.
On platform X, investigators called on residents to provide them with any information that could help arrest the suspect, including photos and videos.
Comment on the picture, A team of forensic experts at a crime scene after a festival in the city of Solingen on August 24, 2024 in Germany.
It is believed that the attacker stabbed his victims in the neck, according to German media.
Spiegel quoted police spokesman Alexander Christa as saying, “We’re currently assuming it’s one person,” after speaking to a large number of witnesses.
In a statement on Facebook, Solingen Mayor Tim Kurtzbach said: “Tonight, all of us in Solingen are in shock, horror and great sadness.”
He said: “My heart breaks that there was an attack in our city.
“My deepest sympathies go out to everyone who has lived through this experience. These images must have been horrific.”
Speaking to the BBC later on Friday, Solinger Tageblatt deputy editor-in-chief Björn Buch said the celebrations “were supposed to last for three days, and the city expected 25,000 person every night. “
“The town was full of people,” he said, estimating that there were “a few thousand” at Friday’s free celebration.
Now, the performances have been cancelled.
Solingen is a city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and is famous for its steel industry. It has a population of about 160,000 and is located about 15 miles (25 km) east of Düsseldorf and northeast of Cologne.
#killed #blast #accident #festival #Germany #BBC #News #Arabic
2024-08-24 08:26:15
