Three people killed in stabbing incident at German festival

Three people were killed and four others seriously injured in a stabbing attack at a festival in Solingen, western Germany, on Friday night, according to police. The assault occurred around 10 p.m. (+2 GMT) when an unidentified man targeted multiple victims. The attacker remains at large, Reuters reports.

Solingen Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach expressed his grief, stating, "It tears my heart apart that there was an attack on our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives."

Fatal stabbings and shootings are relatively rare in Germany. The incident took place at a festival marking the town's 650th anniversary in the Fronhof market square, where live bands were performing.

Herbert Reul, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, visited the scene and described the attack as a targeted assault on human life, though he did not speculate on the motive.

The German government is working to tighten regulations on public knife-carrying by limiting allowable knife lengths. This follows previous violent incidents, including the stabbing of a policeman in Mannheim during a right-wing demonstration in June, and a stabbing on a train in 2021.