ARMED cops are hunting a knife attacker who launched a horror stabbing spree that killed three people in Germany.
Festival goers have been stabbed at random in the west of the country in what has been described as a “terrorist attack”.
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Police and forensic experts set up tents in front of the stage where the horror attack took place Credit: AP
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Armed police patrol the areaCredit: AP
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Police officers secure the area Credit: Reuters
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Forensic police examine the areaCredit: AFP
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Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the horrific attack on Saturday.
It has not been suggested that he is the knife attacker, but inquiries are being made into the incident.
Officers said at a news conference that he was only charged with failure to report a threatened crime, believing the suspect may have discussed plans for the attack with him.
Eight other people were injured, five of whom are fighting for their lives after the suspect stabbed the victims while they were watching live music.
The horror rampage began around 9:45 p.m. on Friday night at the Diversity Festival in Solingen, a few miles from Cologne and Düsseldorf.
Police said the gunman appeared to be aiming for the necks of festival-goers as more evidence came to light.
Police said at a press conference: “The male offender started stabbing people at the festival – this happened on a stage which was set up in the market.
“We’re searching properties, we’re looking all over the country and we’ve got the federal police involved.
“We know that three people lost their lives, a 67-year-old man, a 56-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman.
The mum screamed ‘help me’ before she was triple stabbed to death
“Eight people were injured and are undergoing hospital treatment, four of whom are seriously injured.
“In the early hours of the morning, we detained a 15-year-old… we are not saying that he is the person who carried out the attack.
“We assume that it is one perpetrator, but we are investigating whether there are more.”
The suspect allegedly attacked festival goers right in front of the stage where the live bands were playing.
Police previously said they had very little information on the suspect at this time, but believed the stabbings were carried out by a lone assailant.
A large number of officials are involved in the search, which extends outside the city. Blockades were set up and special units were engaged.
The three-day “Festival of Diversity” was held to commemorate the 650th anniversary of the founding of the city, which has about 160,000 inhabitants and is located near the larger cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf.
About 80,000 visitors were expected at the now-cancelled event.
The attack took place in the central square, known as the Fronhof.
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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz released a statement on X: “The attack in Solingen is a terrible event that shocked me greatly.
“The attacker brutally killed several people.
“I just spoke with the mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach. We mourn the victims and stand with their families.
“I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The perpetrator must be quickly caught and punished to the full extent of the law.”
Top regional security official Herbert Reul told reporters it was a targeted attack on human life, but declined to speculate on a motive.
He said: “None of us know why. I can’t say anything now about the motive.”
He said the gunman left the scene “relatively quickly”.
Lars Breitzke, a witness, said he was standing in front of the stage when the attack happened just a few meters away.
He was watching the band play on stage when he noticed the look on the singer’s face that something was wrong.
He said: “And then a person fell just a meter away from me”
Breitzke added that at first he thought the person was drunk.
But when he turned, Bretzke saw other injured people lying on the ground bleeding, he told the Solinger Tageblatt.
Breitzke himself was not injured.
Reporter Celine Derikartz described the atmosphere as “spooky”.
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Dozens of emergency personnel rushed to the sceneCredit: AP
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Tributes were left in the city Credits: Avalon.red
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A policeman stands next to a pastor in the center of the city Credits: Avalon.red
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The search is in progress Credits: AP
She said the atmosphere at the party turned into shock within minutes and she saw festival-goers crying.
The event was reportedly called off around 10pm as attendees were told to leave the area.
Dozens of emergency workers are at the scene, and the police have declared a major incident.
The photos show police with automatic weapons, as well as forensic experts collecting evidence.
Philipp Müller, the organizer of the festival, appeared on stage during DJ Topić’s performance and announced that the event was cancelled.
He stopped the show to appeal to festival-goers and said: “Go calmly, please, keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator has not been caught.”
He also allegedly said that nine people are fighting for their lives.
Müller was quoted as telling local media: “People left the square in shock, but calmly.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach posted on Facebook: “All of us in Solingen are in shock.
“We all wanted to celebrate the anniversary of our city together, and now we have dead and wounded to mourn.”
“My heart breaks that there was an attack on our city,” he added.
The area near the church square remains cordoned off, and a ‘situation center’ has been set up at Café Kersting.
Videos posted on X show flashing blue lights and emergency vehicles.
The festival was officially opened by Mr. Kurzbach on Friday around 19:00.
Host Panagiota Petridou, born in the city, was to host the evening.
Petridou was on the spot and is now safe, her management confirmed to RTL.
Germany’s top security official, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, recently proposed tightening gun laws to allow only knives with blades up to 6 centimeters (almost 2.4 inches) to be carried in public, instead of 12 centimeters (4.7 inches). which is now allowed.
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The incident happened in the central squareCredit: AFP
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Several people were reportedly killed and injuredCredit: AP
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Police officers work at the sceneCredit: Reuters
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Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia Herbert Reul visited the scene Credits: Avalon.red
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