Stabbing Rampage in Germany Leaves Three Dead; Official Suggests Possible Terrorism

A stabbing spree in the western German city of Solingen left three people dead and eight others injured at a festival, in what authorities suspect could be an act of terrorism, an official said on Saturday.

Police are actively searching for the attacker, who remains at large following the Friday evening assault. A 15-year-old has been detained, and authorities are investigating whether there is any connection between this individual and the assailant.

Markus Caspers, an official from the Duesseldorf public prosecutor’s office, stated that terrorism could not be ruled out as a motive, given the lack of any other apparent reason for the attack and the fact that the victims appeared to be randomly targeted.

At a news conference on Saturday, police official Thorsten Fleiss noted that the assailant seemed to intentionally aim for the victims’ throats.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser assured that security forces are doing everything possible to apprehend the suspect and investigate the incident, which occurred in the Fronhof, a market square in Solingen where live music was being performed.

The attack took place during a festival celebrating Solingen’s 650th anniversary in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, near the Dutch border.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his concern on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The perpetrator must be quickly caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”