A 15-year-old has been arrested in connection with a stabbing attack in Germany, which saw three people killed and five others left “seriously injured”.
Officers have said that the motive is not yet clear but they cannot rule out a “terrorist motive”.
Police confirmed two men and a woman were killed in the attack. The two male victims are reportedly 67 and 56 years old, and the deceased woman is 56.
The suspect stabbed passers-by who were attending a city festival in Solingen at around 9.45pm (local time) last night.
German police in Solingen – located 25 kilometres from DusseldorfREUTERSThe teenager is suspected of failing “to report an imminent crime”, police and prosecutors said at a press conference this afternoon.
Prosecutor Markus Caspers said officials are still looking into motives and could not give any further information.
Officers asked people to refrain from speculating about the attack.
They previously issued a warning urging people to stay vigilant, as passers-by began placing candles and flowers outside the barricades.
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Police officers have told people to remain vigilant following the attack
Reuters
The stabbing happened while the city celebrated its 650th anniversary during a festivalGETTY IMAGESPolice described the atmosphere following the attack as “very hectic”, which made it difficult to try and locate the perpetrator.
Questioned about reports that the attacker targeted victims’ throats, police said the attacks were “very targeted” at people’s throats and necks.
Violence erupted in the Germany city last night, with officers receiving calls from witnesses alerting them to reports of several people being wounded in the city at around 9.30pm.
A major emergency was declared by local police, who launched a manhunt for the suspected knifeman.
A major emergency was declared by local police
Reuters
Location of reported mass stabbing event – Where is Solingen?REUTERS
“We are full of shock and grief,” Solingen Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach told journalists on Saturday morning.
The incident took place at a festival in Solingen – some 25 kilometres from Dusseldorf – which began on Friday and was supposed to continue over the weekend. Approximately 80,000 people were expected to head there for the celebrations.
A German musician known as Topic said he was playing on a nearby stage when the incident occurred. He was asked “to avoid causing a mass panic attack”, he posted on Instagram.
The DJ was eventually told to stop, and “since the attacker was still on the run, we hid in a nearby store while police helicopters circled above us,” he wrote online.
Authorities have cancelled the remainder of the weekend festival.