An attacker wielding a knife killed three people and seriously wounded at least five at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on Friday evening. The incident took place at the "Festival of Diversity," marking the city's 650th anniversary, which was supposed to run through Sunday.
Witnesses alerted police to the unknown perpetrator, who was reportedly stabbing people indiscriminately with a knife on a central square. Police confirmed that the attacker was on the run, and little information was available about the suspect at the time.
Authorities believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker, and the motive behind the attack remains unknown. The region's top security official, Herbert Reul, expressed shock over the incident and stated that it was unclear why the attack took place.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach of Solingen expressed sorrow over the tragic event, stating that the city was in shock following the attack. The festival atmosphere quickly turned from celebration to mourning as festival-goers wept and the party atmosphere gave way to shock.
In response to the attack, the city has canceled the remainder of the festival. Solingen, with a population of about 160,000 residents, is located near the larger cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf.
Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has recently proposed stricter weapons laws to limit the carrying of knives in public to those with blades measuring up to six centimeters, down from the current 12-centimeter limit.
The incident in Solingen highlights the need for heightened security measures and vigilance at public events to prevent similar tragedies in the future.