Knifeman kills three, injures three in nighttime assault in western Germany

Solingen’s 650th anniversary festival was marred by a knife attack, resulting in three deaths and three injuries

Three people were killed and three others seriously injured in a stabbing attack at a festival on Friday night in Solingen, western Germany, according to police. The incident occurred around 10pm (2100 CET) when an unidentified man attacked several people. Witnesses told Bild newspaper that the attacker is still at large.

Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach expressed his anguish, stating, "It tears my heart apart 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."

The attack took place during a festival celebrating the town's 650th anniversary at the Fronhof, a market square where live music was being performed. Local police did not provide additional details over the phone.

Solingen, located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, and bordering the Netherlands, is not typically associated with frequent fatal stabbings or shootings.

A similar stabbing occurred in June, resulting in the death of a 29-year-old policeman in Mannheim during a right-wing demonstration.

In 2021, a stabbing on a train also caused several injuries. The German government is currently working to tighten regulations on public knife carrying by reducing the permissible length of blades.