2024-08-23 22:58:13
An assailant killed three people with a knife during the 650th anniversary celebrations in the German city of Solingen on Friday night. Four other people were seriously injured, according to police. Shortly after midnight in Dusseldorf, a police spokesman said the perpetrator was on the run. Police said the case is no longer classified as a crime but an assault. The perpetrator acted intentionally.
“Bild” reported that the attacker randomly stabbed passers-by at around 9:45 p.m. The police issued a major alert. At least one helicopter was in the air, a large number of emergency vehicles were on the road with lights flashing and large swaths of streets were closed. Officers are currently on scene armed and are securing it. Dozens of rescue workers are on duty. The crime scene was located on the Fronhof market square in the center of Solingen.
According to Solinger Tageblatt, authorities have asked citizens to leave the city center. The festival is now over. Sirens could be heard around the city centre. Thousands of tourists were asked to leave the square calmly and not to panic. “People in the square were shocked but calm,” Philipp Müller, one of the festival’s co-organizers, reportedly said.
Solingen mayor Tim Kuzbach was shocked. “Tonight we are all in shock, fear and great sadness,” the SPD politician said on the city of Solingen’s Facebook page. “It breaks my heart that our city has been attacked. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost, and I pray for everyone who is still fighting for their lives.”
German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach posted on the platform
On the occasion of the city of Solingen’s 650th birthday, the “Diversity Festival” starts on Friday. It should last until Sunday. “Solingenmitte will become a huge festival mile: festivities will take place from Neumarkt to Fronhof to Mühlenplatz,” the announcement said. In the streets, visitors can enjoy music, cabaret and dance performances , acrobatics, arts and crafts, children’s entertainment and other programs.
Home Affairs Minister Nancy Feather (SPD) recently announced a tightening of gun laws in light of an increase in knife attacks. Knives with blades no longer than six centimeters (instead of the previous twelve centimeters) are only allowed to be carried in public places. There should be a total ban on dangerous switchblade knives. Implementation would be problematic, however, as monitoring such a ban would be extremely time-consuming and therefore require a large number of personnel.
In mid-June, a 27-year-old Afghan man was shot dead by police in Wolmeerstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, after allegedly stabbing a 23-year-old at a private EM garden party. year-old man, and then injured several others. On May 31, in Mannheim, an Afghan stabbed five members and an official of the anti-Islamic movement “Peace Europe”. The officer later died.
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