Police search for knife attacker who killed 3 people at German festival, 'terrorist lead cannot be ruled out'

SOLINGEN, Germany (AP) — Special police units joined the search Saturday for a knife-wielding unknown man who slashed the throats of revelers at a crowded festival in the western German city of Solingen, killing three people and injuring at least eight others, four of them seriously.

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.

Markus Caspers of the prosecutor's office's counter-terrorism unit said at a press conference on Saturday that authorities had not yet found the perpetrator of the attack.

“So far we have not been able to identify a motive, but considering the general circumstances we cannot exclude” the possibility of a terrorist act, Caspers said, without giving further details.

The three people who died were two men, ages 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old woman, authorities said. Police said the attacker appeared to have deliberately aimed at his victims' throats.

LEARN MORE: French police arrest man who killed German tourist in Paris, official says

Thorsten Fleiss of the German police, who was the head of operations on Friday evening, said police are conducting various searches and investigations across the state of North Rhine-Westphalia that will continue throughout the day.

He said it was a “huge challenge” to piece together the available evidence and witness testimony to get a comprehensive picture.

Police have urged people to remain vigilant, even as people have begun to lay flowers at the scene. Authorities have set up an online portal where witnesses can upload images and other relevant information about the attack.

Police were alerted shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Friday by residents who reported that an unknown attacker had injured several people with a knife in a central square, the Fronhof.

“Last night our hearts were torn. We in Solingen are filled with horror and grief. What happened yesterday in our city has not allowed anyone to sleep,” Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach said, speaking to reporters Saturday near the scene of the attack.

The “Diversity Festival,” marking the city's 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was scheduled to run through Sunday, with several stages on central streets featuring attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics.

The attack took place in a crowd in front of a stage. Hours after the attack, the stage lights were still on as police and investigators searched for clues in the cordoned-off area. The remainder of the festival was canceled.

Solingen has around 160,000 inhabitants and is located close to the larger cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf.

Caspers said at the news conference that the 15-year-old boy was arrested after two women contacted police. They said they had listened in on a conversation between the boy and an unknown person before the attack, talking about intentions consistent with the events that followed.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that the culprit must be caught quickly and punished to the full extent of the law.

“The attack in Solingen is a terrible event that has shocked me deeply. An attacker killed several people in a brutal manner. I have just spoken with the mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach. We mourn the victims and support their families,” Scholz said on X.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also spoke to Kurzbach on Saturday morning.

“The heinous act in Solingen shocks me and our country. We mourn the victims and are concerned for the injured. I wholeheartedly wish them strength and a speedy recovery,” Steinmeier said in a statement Saturday.

“The perpetrator must be brought to justice. Let us unite against hatred and violence.”

There are concerns about the rise in knife violence in Germany, and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser recently proposed tightening gun laws to allow only knives with blades up to 6 centimetres (nearly 2.4 inches) to be carried in public, rather than the current 12 centimetres (4.7 inches) length.

Liechtenstein reported from Vienna.