Solingen, Germany – A tragic stabbing incident at a festival in Solingen, Germany, left three people dead and at least five critically injured on Friday night. The attack took place during the “Festival of Diversity” held in the city’s central plaza, Fronhof, at around 9:30 p.m. local time.
Philipp Müller, one of the festival organizers, addressed the crowd from the stage after the attack, urging attendees to remain calm and vigilant. "Go calmly; please keep your eyes open because, unfortunately, the perpetrator hasn’t been caught," Müller stated, highlighting the ongoing danger as authorities search for the assailant.
The attacker, described as a man of Arab appearance, randomly stabbed festival-goers before fleeing the scene. Local police and emergency services quickly responded, blocking off surrounding streets and deploying at least one helicopter to aid in the search. Despite their efforts, the suspect remains at large, and authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attack.
Herbert Reul, North Rhine-Westphalia’s interior minister, expressed uncertainty about the motive, saying, "None of us knows why this happened." He confirmed that while initial reports indicated six people were injured, five remain in critical condition.
Social media reactions to the incident have been mixed. Comments on Facebook reflect a range of emotions, from frustration to concern. Noah Fleiszig commented, "It’s time to leave Germany where there is a lot of terrorist attacks. It’s better to live in Israel than any other countries in the world." Joanna May speculated, "I bet you $$$ they will say the perpetrator has mental health issues…and not expose the truth…" Others, like Mustafa Husin Baabad, predicted the attacker would be labeled mentally ill, stating, "Mentally ill person is very easy to be used as weapon by raising his anger and direct the anger to the target."
As Solingen grapples with this shocking event, the community and authorities are on high alert, hoping for a swift resolution to this tragic situation.