German police search for suspect after three people killed in knife attack

German police are urgently searching for an unknown suspect who fled the city of Solingen after three people were killed and eight seriously injured in a knife attack on Friday evening.

As the BBC reports, the attacker struck during celebrations marking the 650th anniversary of the city's founding in West Germany. The motive for the attack is still unclear.

The city's mayor, Tim Kurzbach, expressed his dismay at the incident on social media this morning, writing: “We mourn the victims and stand with their families.

“The perpetrator must be caught quickly and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

He added that those attending the event were in a state of “shock, horror and great sadness.”

The attack took place at the Fronhof, a market square in Solingen, where live bands were playing.

A DJ named Topic wrote on Instagram that he was performing on a nearby stage when the attack occurred.

He wrote that security staff asked him to keep playing to avoid a major panic:

“So I kept playing, even though it was incredibly hard.

“After about 10-15 minutes, the music was finally stopped and people were informed about the incident.”