A suspect is being investigated for possible links to the Islamic State extremist group after he surrendered to police over a mass stabbing at a festival in Germany.
A woman, 56, and two men, aged 56 and 67, were killed in Friday’s ferocious attack at a ‘Festival of Diversity’ in Solingen, a city in western Germany, which saw the knifeman deliberately aim for victim’s throats. Eight more were injured, including four left fighting for their lives in hospital.
A 26-year-old man handed himself in to police late on Saturday claiming to be the knifeman behind the brutal attack amid a major police manhunt.
The man is a Syrian national who had applied for asylum in Germany, police confirmed to the Associated Press.
German federal prosecutors said they are investigating the suspect for links to the Islamic State extremist group after they claimed responsibility for the atrocity, without any evidence.
Here’s a look at everything we know so far.
What has happened so far?
Residents of the western German city of Solingen were enjoying a diversity festival when tragedy struck.
The Festival of Diversity marked the city’s 650th anniversary, and was set to run until Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering live music, cabaret and acrobatics.
But shortly after 9.30pm on Friday evening, witnesses reported to police that someone had attacked people with a knife at a central square, known as the Fronhof.
Phillip Müller, the festival’s organiser, appeared on stage to ask festivalgoers to leave “calmly”.
“Please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn’t been caught,” Mr Müller said.
German police instantly launched a manhunt for the perpetrator, who they believed to be working alone.
On Saturday, police detained a 15-year-old boy who was not believed to be the perpetrator but was allegedly seen speaking with the suspect moments before. Later the same day a second man was detained at a refugee centre close to the site of the attack.
However late on Saturday, a 26-year-old man handed himself in to police claiming to be the knifeman.
“This person’s involvement in the crime is currently being intensively investigated,” officials said.
Meanwhile the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, without providing evidence.
The extremist group said on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and that as a “soldier of the Islamic State” he carried out the assaults Friday night “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere”.
The claim could not immediately be verified.
What do we know about the alleged perpetrator?
The suspect in custody is a Syrian citizen who had applied for asylum in Germany, police confirmed to the Associated Press.
The man, aged 26, who turned himself in to police amid a major manhunt is suspected of being a member of the Islamic State group, federal prosecutors said.
A spokesman for the German Federal Prosecutor confirmed the person in custody was being investigated for links to the extremist group, which has claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Let’s stand together’ – politicians react to the stabbing
Local, national and international politicians have spoken out to condemn the horrific stabbings.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X that the perpetrator must be punished “to the fullest extent of the law”.
He said it was a “terrible” event which had “shocked” him greatly, adding that he will “mourn the victims and stand by their families”.
German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier described it as a “heinous act” and wished those injured “strength and a speedy recovery from all my heart”.
“The perpetrator needs to be brought to justice. Let’s stand together — against hatred and violence,” Mr Steinmeier added.
Tim Kurzbach, the mayor of Solingen, said “our hearts were torn apart” by the violence, which “hardly let any of us sleep”.
“We are working all night, all the time, to organise everything imaginable. Nevertheless, this great pain remains,” he said.
“I continue to pray and hope that the relatives will find comfort. That the injured and wounded will recover. And I ask you to continue to hope and pray with us here in Solingen.”
Regional interior minister Herbert Reul said you “don’t want to believe what you see here at the crime scene”, while European Commission president and German politician Ursula von der Leyen said she was “deeply shocked by the brutal and insidious attack”.