In the city of Solingen, Germany, a tragic incident occurred at a festival where three individuals lost their lives, and at least eight others sustained injuries, five of whom are in serious condition due to a knife attack. The police initiated a widespread search for the perpetrator. They have deployed a significant number of officers, including special units, in the vicinity of Solingen city center. Currently, authorities are interviewing witnesses and victims in the ongoing investigation.
Shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Friday, witnesses reported to the police about a perpetrator who had attacked multiple individuals with a knife at the Fronhof central square. The attacker fled the scene, and law enforcement has limited information about the suspect.
Authorities suspect that the stabbings were carried out by a lone assailant and have not disclosed the identities of the victims. The festival called the “Festival of Diversity,” celebrating Solingen’s 650th anniversary, had just commenced on Friday and was scheduled to continue until Sunday, featuring various entertainment activities.
Solingen, a city with a population of approximately 160,000 residents, is situated near major cities like Cologne and Duesseldorf. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed deep shock over the brutal attack at the city festival and assured that security forces are diligently working to apprehend the perpetrator and understand the motive behind the assault.
Concerns regarding an upsurge in knife-related violence in Germany have been growing, prompting Faeser to advocate for stricter weapons regulations. She proposed limiting the permissible blade length of knives carried in public to 6 centimeters (nearly 2.4 inches), as opposed to the current allowance of 12 centimeters (4.7 inches).
