Knife attack at Solingen festival leaves 3 dead, 8 injured

At least three people are dead, and eight are injured - these are the latest figures following a knife attack during a festival in the German town of Solingen. According to local media, the perpetrator is still at large.

In the town of Solingen, located in the western part of the country, a knife attack took place during a festival celebrating its 650th anniversary, which was supposed to last until Sunday. After 20:00 GMT, an unknown assailant attacked random passers-by with a knife. The latest information, provided on Saturday morning, indicates that three people were killed, and eight are seriously injured. Earlier reports mentioned four injured.

The police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack, reported the dpa agency overnight.

The local newspaper "Solinger Tageblatt," citing the latest police reports, informed that the perpetrator still has not been caught. Heavily armed SEK units with around 40 special vehicles from all over North Rhine-Westphalia have been involved in the search operation. The police have blocked main roads and exits from the town, and residents have been advised to stay indoors and avoid the city centre.

Officers are appealing to all witnesses of the incident to contact them urgently. Especially valuable information is where the perpetrator might have fled to and whether he left the crime scene on foot, by bicycle, or by car. Additionally, the police are asking for photographic and video materials recorded during the festival.

A witness, Lars Breitzke, told "Solinger Tageblatt" that he realised something was wrong when he noticed a worried expression on the face of one of the singers on stage. "Suddenly one of the people fell literally a yard away from me," he recounted.

According to the residents' accounts, the attacker intentionally aimed to wound the victims in the neck.

The Mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach, posted a statement online. "Tonight, all of us in Solingen are in shock, horrified, and deeply saddened. We wanted to celebrate our town's anniversary together, and now we have to mourn the dead and injured," he wrote.

"It breaks my heart that an attack happened in our town. I have tears in my eyes when I think about those we lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives. My deepest condolences to everyone who was there; these scenes must have been terrifying," he added.

Source: "Solinger Tageblatt," BBC