At least three people were killed and several injured in a knife attack at a festival in western Germany

08/23/2024

Updated at 11:52 p.m.

Police in the German city of Solingen, near Dusseldorf, issued a call to citizens to remain in their homes after the search.At least three dead and several injured at the city’s 650th anniversary celebrations.

They are victims of a knife attack And, according to local media reports, the attacker is still at large. Although the facts are still confusing, local newspaper ‘Tagblatt’ reports that one of the festival’s organisers, Philipp Müller, explained from the stage where the performance took place that rescue services were fighting for the lives of nine other people and that the authorities had asked citizens to leave the city centre and return to their homes.

The music is interrupted and The festival is cancelled for now. Since that moment, at least one helicopter has been flying over the city center to support the search operation and police officers from nearby cities have been arriving as reinforcements.

The scene of the crime was the Frohnhof, a market square in the centre of Solingen, where a stage for live music had been set up and where a ‘festival’ was being held.Diversity Festival‘, which should last until Sunday. “Solingen Mitte will become a big mile of festivals: there will be festivities from Neumarkt to Fronhof and Mühlenplatz,” said the party’s call, which also assured that visitors would find a program with music, cabaret, acrobatics, crafts, entertainment for children and much more. At the time of the attack, several thousand people were attending the festivities.

“The atmosphere is disturbing,” witnesses said. A very lively party turned into a shock in a matter of minutes. The Neumarkt area is now practically clear and many people are protected by armed officers at bus stops. The German Press Agency (DPA) quoted police sources as saying. No arrests have been made yet. Police have cordoned off the area and barricades have been put up across the city centre.

report a bug