Knife attack at Germany’s ‘Festival of Diversity’ kills three, wounds others
German police on Saturday were searching for an unknown assailant who killed three people and wounded seven in a stabbing attack late Friday on the first day of a three-day "Festival of Diversity" in the western German city of Solingen. The public prosecutor told a news conference that a terrorist motive has not been ruled out.
German police on Saturday stepped up a major hunt for a man who stabbed three people to death and wounded seven others at a street festival in the city of Solingen, authorities said.
Police closed off the centre of Solingen after the attack on Friday night at the city's "Festival of Diversity". A police statement said five of the wounded were in "serious" condition.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested early Saturday. Police said he was suspected of knowing about the planned attack and not informing authorities, but he was not the attacker.
“The police are currently conducting a large-scale search for the perpetrator,” police said in a statement. “Both victims and witnesses are currently being questioned,” they said.
The public prosecutor told a press conference later that afternoon that a "terrorist" motive has not been ruled out.
Special forces were helping security personnel in the city centre while a helicopter flew overhead, according to an AFP journalist.
Thousands of people had gathered in front of a stage on the first night of the "Festival of Diversity", part of a series of events to mark Solingen's 650th anniversary, when the killing started.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
