A man armed with a knife carried out a deadly attack at a cultural festival in Germany on Friday, killing at least three people and wounding four others.
The incident, which was reportedly being treated as a terror attack, happened in the western city of Solingen.
A manhunt was launched after the incident, which happened during the Festival of Intercultural Tolerance, which was held near Dusseldorf.
It was held as the city prepared to celebrate its 650th birthday. According to reports, the suspect started attacking people randomly before running away.
According to the Bild newspaper, law enforcers are treating the incident as an act of terror.
Festival organizer Philipp Mller said that he received a call from the stage manager, who said that there were multiple casualties on the ground.
Haunting images show emergency services and officers standing in the dark, surrounded by a helicopter and blue flashing lights.
The city of Solingen is known for its renowned blade manufacturing industry.
The tragic incident occurred amid a heated debate about the rising number of knife attacks in Germany.
The festival was reportedly stopped at around 10 pm after the attendees left the area.
According to the newspaper, the suspect, who was reportedly armed with a knife, randomly attacked people at the festival.
In a statement, the mayor of Solingen, Tim-Oliver Kurzbach, said that the entire city was in shock and grief.
He noted that the people of Solingen were supposed to celebrate the town’s 650th birthday.
Instead, they have to mourn the victims and their dead.
The event was held at the Fronhof, a shopping center situated in Solingen’s historic district. It was celebrating the city’s 650th birthday.
