Several people were killed and injured in a knife attack in the German city of Solingen
at least three people have been killed and others were injured this friday night A man attacked several passersby with a knife in Solingenin western Germany. The attack happened at around 9:45pm local time, when a celebration was being held for the city’s 650th anniversary. German police have described what happened as an “attack” and have launched a huge operation with 40 officers and helicopters to search for the person responsible, who is still at large.
Police spokesman Alexander Kresta has hinted at this on the channel ntv One of the problems they faced is They don’t have “enough data” about the attackerOf which he has not given any details. The agent, who has indicated that the person responsible has fled after stabbing several people in the neck, has assured that the attack was carried out by a single person and said that he has no information about possible accomplices.
Festivities organized by the city have been suspended and Attendees have been asked to go home“I don’t want you to panic, stay calm. But we have been attacked with knives and several people are injured, we have to interrupt the festival. Please go home slowly,” said Philipp Müller, one of those responsible for the festival. According to the organisers quoted by Efe, nine people are still at risk of death.
“All of us in Solingen are in shock. We wanted to celebrate the anniversary of our city and now we have to mourn the dead and grieve the injured. I have tears in my eyes and my heart is broken. I think of those who have died and I pray for those who are still fighting for their lives,” the city’s mayor, Tim Kurzbach, said on Facebook.
The city was expected to welcome thousands of visitors over the weekend
According to German police, in addition to canceling events, road traffic has been cut off and the city’s residents have been asked to stay in their homes. The city was expected to welcome around 80,000 visitors over the weekend to take part in the festival, known as the ‘Diversity Festival’.
The attack came just days after Interior Minister Nancy Fesser announced plans to ban the carrying of long knives in public places. According to police data cited by Efe, last year there were 9,000 cases of knife injuries In Germany.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s interior minister, Herbert Reul, has traveled to Solingen. He said, “One would wish that what we are seeing here was not true. I think of the relatives of the victims and the injured. We can only hope that the seriously injured are saved.”