Berlin [Germany], August 24: The stabbing took place at a diversity festival in Solingen, a three-day event marking the 650th anniversary of the German city's founding, according to CNN. The attacker struck at around 10 p.m.
According to Reuters, there was only one perpetrator and he was male. The attacker fled and the police have declared this a terrorist attack. Police are mobilizing all possible resources for a large-scale search.
Several ambulances and police were at the scene while helicopters flew overhead.
Mayor Tim Kurzbach said he was shocked, horrified and deeply saddened by the attack. "We wanted to celebrate our city together and now we must mourn the dead and injured," Kurzbach wrote on the city's Facebook page.
The mayor prayed for the victims and thanked rescue and security forces for their help.
According to the festival's website, the event, which begins on August 23, will feature performances, music, food and entertainment for families.
Stabbings and shootings are not common in Germany. In June, a police officer died after being stabbed at a right-wing protest in the city of Mannheim. A knife attack on a train in 2021 left several people injured.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
