At least 3 dead and 6 injured in knife attack at festival in Germany

MUNICH – At least three people were killed and eight others injured, five of them seriously, in a knife attack on Friday in the western German city of Solingen, where a celebration was taking place to mark the city's anniversary, authorities said.

“All of us in Solingen are full of shock, horror and great sadness. We wanted to celebrate our city's birthday together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured,” said Mayor Tim Kurzbach in a statement on Friday evening.

Police continued their large-scale manhunt for the perpetrator until Saturday morning. Details about the attacker's identity or motive were not released.

“Our security authorities are doing everything they can to catch the perpetrator and clarify the background to the attack,” said Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in a post on X.

On Saturday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his dismay at the killings, saying he mourned the victims and stressed that “the perpetrator must be caught quickly and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

“It breaks my heart that our city was attacked. I have tears in my eyes when I think of the people we lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives,” Kurzbach said.

Police believe the attacker used a knife and that the person is still at large, said a police spokesman in nearby Düsseldorf. The perpetrator specifically aimed at people's throats, police added.

The attack occurred at 9:40 p.m. local time on Friday during a celebration of the city's 650th anniversary. The “Festival of Diversity” began on Friday and was scheduled to last until Sunday. Authorities have canceled the rest of the festival.

Herbert Reul, Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, told the press that the attacker had stabbed people randomly “out of nowhere”.

The dead were a woman and two men, and eight people were seriously injured, he said.

German DJ Tobias Topic wrote on Instagram that security forces had asked him to continue playing his set during the attack to prevent mass panic. Topic said he continued playing “even though it was incredibly hard.”

He added that the music stopped after about 15 minutes and that he and others hid in a nearby store while police helicopters circled overhead.

“I also feel great compassion for all the people who had to witness this; it must have been terrible images. I thank all the rescue and security forces for their efforts,” Kurzbach said. “I ask you, if you believe, to pray with me and if not, to hope with me.”

Hendrik Wüst, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Solingen is located, also expressed his dismay and said that the state stands by the people of the city and the victims.

“An act of brutal and senseless violence has struck our country at the heart,” said Wüst.

Solingen is a city with around 150,000 inhabitants about 26 kilometers northeast of Cologne.