Germany: Three killed in knife attack in Solingen

Three people were killed and four others seriously injured in a knife attack in the western German city of Solingen, German police said.

The attack took place during a festival in the city centre on Friday evening. The attacker is reportedly still at large.

Bild newspaper says a man stabbed passersby at random. A manhunt is underway for the man, with police helicopters seen flying over the city.

The industrial city celebrated its 650th anniversary.

City authorities have asked residents to leave the Frohnhof market area, and police are setting up a security cordon.

Media reports said emergency crews at the scene are now treating the injured.

Philipp Müller, one of the festival’s organizers, said emergency crews were struggling to save the lives of nine people, according to the Solinger Tagblatt newspaper.

“People were shocked, but they left the square peacefully,” Mueller said.

Eyewitness Lars Bretzke told the newspaper that he felt something was wrong when he saw a singer on stage with a strange expression on his face.

“Then a person fell just one meter away from me,” he added.

In a statement on Facebook, Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach said: “Tonight, all of us in Solingen are shocked, horrified and deeply saddened. We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured.”

“It saddens me to see an attack in our city. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of those we have lost. My prayers are with all those still fighting for their lives. My deepest sympathies go out to all those who had to experience this. These images must have been horrific.”

Solingen – a city in Rhineland-Westphalia known for its steel industry – has a population of about 160,000. It is located about 15 miles (25 km) east of Düsseldorf and northeast of Cologne.