At least three people have been killed in a mass stabbing event in Solingen, Germany, during the city’s 650th anniversary celebrations, also known as the “Festival of Diversity.”
According to local outlet Solinger Tageblatt, the mass stabbing event occurred at around 7:45PM local time in the Fronhof market in the city’s center.
At the time of this article’s publication, three people are known to be dead, with several more suffering injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that the alleged attacker, who has been described as an “Arab-looking man,” fled towards the main road in the city. No arrests have been made at this time.
The western German city had been celebrating 650 years since its founding, with the “Festival of Diversity” inviting guests from across the globe to the event.
“It would not really be possible to celebrate without our friends all over the world. That is why we are so happy to be able to welcome them all here today. Living together in peace has always meant a lot to us,” said Mayor Tim Kurzbach in a press release on Friday morning.
Philipp Müller, one of the co-organisers of the festival, told the crowd there that paramedics were fighting to save the lives of at least nine people at one time, before the festival was closed early, with authorities ordering people to leave the city centre. Armed police are currently in the city conducting a manhunt for the perpetrator, with multiple armed SEK units being drafted in from around the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Speaking to Solinger Tageblatt, eyewitness Lars Breitzek explains he was standing in front of the stage during a performance of the band Suprafon when the stabbing occurred right next to him.
He realized something was wrong when the lead singer’s expression changed dramatically.
“And then a person fell over just a metre away from me,” Breitzek said, believing the victim to at first be drunk, before turning around and seeing more people collapsed on the floor near him, lying in pools of blood.
“This evening we are all in shock, horror and great sadness in Solingen,” said Kurzbach in a statement on Facebook following the attack.
“We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together and now we have dead and injured people to mourn. It breaks my heart that there was an attack on our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives.”
