A devastating attack in full courtship
The German town of Solingen is plunged into anguish after a violent attack during the celebration of its 650th birthday. This Friday night, an assault with a knife caused the death of three people and left several injured, as confirmed by the local authorities.
Details of the incident
The incident took place around 9:45 p.m., when an unknown individual began stabbing festival-goers at Fronhof, a downtown market. Witnesses have described the situation as chaotic, with people trying to escape danger as emergency services arrived at the scene.
The reaction of the authorities
After the attack, the authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of the area and established a security cordon around the affected area. The Düsseldorf Police, in charge of the investigation, have reported that the attacker remains at large and that the motivations behind this act of violence are unknown.
Commotion among citizens
Festival goers, who were expecting to enjoy a festive event, were shocked by the tragedy. Philipp Müller, co-organiser of the festival, said the community was ‘shocked but calm’, as thousands of people left the area in a sense of disbelief.
Political and social reactions
The mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach, shared his grief on social media, saying that the attack “breaks his heart” and that everyone had hoped to celebrate together, but now they had to mourn the victims. Also, Hendrik Wüst, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, expressed his solidarity with the affected community, regretting the violence that has hit the city.
A call to hope
In the midst of the tragedy, the authorities have thanked the quick response of the rescue teams and asked to maintain hope in the recovery of the injured. The German Minister of Health, Karl Lauterbach, expressed his wish that the emergency services can save the lives of those affected and that the Police can catch the author of the attack.
