Several people were killed and several others injured in a stabbing attack at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on Friday (23/8), local authorities confirmed.
Newspaper Bild reported a man stabbed random passersby at the festival around 9:45 p.m. local time. At least three people were reported killed and many injured.
Witnesses said the perpetrator was still at large, the newspaper said.
The mayor of Solingen confirmed there were deaths and injuries in the attack, but did not provide details.
“My heart is broken by the attack on our city. I shed tears thinking about those who have died. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives,” Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach said in a statement.
Police said the attack took place at a festival celebrating the city's 650th anniversary.
“There were multiple fatalities and injuries from the knife attack,” police said in a statement posted on the X platform.
The attack took place in the Fronhof, the mayor's statement said, a square where musical performances were taking place.
Solingen is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous region bordering the Netherlands.
Fatal stabbing and shooting incidents in Germany are relatively rare.
In June, a 29-year-old police officer died after being stabbed in the German city of Mannheim during an attack on a far-right demonstration.
In addition, a stabbing attack on a train also occurred in 2021, which injured several people.
The German government has tried to tighten regulations on knives being carried in public by reducing the length limit. (ah/ft)
