An attacker with a knife killed three people and seriously wounded at least five late on Friday at a festival in the western German city of Solingen, authorities said.
Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9:30 p.m. to an unknown perpetrator having wounded several people indiscriminately with a knife on a central square, the Fronhof. Police said the attacker was on the run, and that they so far had only very little information on the man.
They said they believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker.
One of the festival organizers, Philipp Mller, appeared on stage and asked festivalgoers to go calmly; please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn't been caught.
He said many people had been wounded by a knifeman.
At least one helicopter was seen in the air, while many police and emergency vehicles with flashing blue lights were on the road and several streets were closed off.
Police put the number of seriously injured at five. The region's top
