Summary

  • German police say they have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a knife attack in the western German city of Solingen

  • The teenager is suspected of knowing about the attack beforehand and not reporting it to police

  • The identity of the attacker remains unclear

  • Three people died in the attack and four more are "very seriously injured", police say

  • The attack happened during celebrations to mark the 650th anniversary of the city’s foundation

  • Police say a motive is still not clear but they say they cannot rule out a "terrorist" motive

  • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says the suspect must be "punished to the full extent of the law"

Live Reporting

Edited by Barbara Tasch with Jessica Parker reporting from Solingen

  1. Toughen knife laws to reduce crime, interior minister had urged

    German Interior Minister Nancy FaeserEPA

    German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser

    This latest stabbing incident comes just over a week since the German interior minister called for tougher measures on knife crime.

    Earlier this month, Nancy Faeser said Germany needs "tougher weapons laws and stricter controls" to clamp down on stabbing incidents. "Knives are used to commit brutal acts of violence that can cause serious injury or death," she told the ARD public broadcaster.

    She is calling for the law to be changed so that only knives with very short blades will be allowed in public.

    At the moment, knives with a blade length of 12cm are legally allowed to be carried in public in Germany.

    Faeser wants this to be reduced to 6 centimetres, with switchblades - a pocket knife with a retractable, spring operated blade - banned altogether.

  2. Forensic examiners work with police investigators

    Officers searching outside a restaurantGetty Images

    The latest images emerging from Solingen show teams of officers wearing white coverall suits as they search for evidence.

    Meanwhile, armed police are still on scene as the hunt for the suspect continues.

    Investigators search under a vehicleEPA
    Police at the sceneGetty Images
    Armed police on the streetsGetty Images

  3. Police search for 'unknown' attacker
    Breaking

    Local police in north-west Germany have just shared an update on the situation.

    They say an "unknown perpetrator attacked several people with a knife" during an attack at the street festival in Solingen.

    Posting the latest details on social media, police confirmed three people have been killed and four others seriously injured.

    "The police is deployed with a large contingent and is searching for the perpetrator," it writes on X.

    We've translated the police update from German to English.

  4. WATCH: Emergency workers on the scene at Solingen

    Emergency services respond to multiple stabbings at a German festival

  5. Hopefully the perpetrator will be caught quickly - politician

    Police tape is set up following an incident in which several individuals were killed on Friday night when a man randomly stabbed passers-by with a knife at a city festival, in SolingenReuters

    Events are still unfolding in Solingen, let's bring you some comments from German politician Serap Güler.

    Posting her reaction on social media she writes: "What happened in Solingen was terrible and horrible.

    "I hope above all that the injured victims of this terrible attack survive and that their families have a lot of strength.

    "Hopefully the perpetrator will be caught quickly. Our thoughts are with everyone who is on the scene."

  6. Here is what we know so far

    Police officers work following an incident in which several individuals were killed on Friday night when a man randomly stabbed passers-by with a knife, at a city festival in SolingenReuters

    Details of what has happened in Germany are still coming to us. Let's quickly recap what we know so far:

    • German police say three people have been killed and four seriously injured in a suspected knife attack in the western city of Solingen, which is about 15 miles (25km) east of Düsseldorf
    • According to local media the attack happened about 21:45 local time (20:45 BST)
    • It is reported the attacker is still at large and members of the public have been told to avoid the area
    • Celebrations had been under way at the time to mark the anniversary of the city's founding
    • Mayor of Solingen Tim Kurzbach spoke of his "shock, horror and great grief"

  7. Police tactical teams hunt for suspect

    Police have deployed 40 tactical vehicles in the hunt for the stabbing suspect, according to German newspaper Bild.

    The vehicles are being commanded by the SEK - or Spezialeinsatzkommando, which is German for "Special Task Force".

    Roads have been blocked and residents have been asked to stay indoors as officers carry out their search.

    The attacker is believed to have fled the scene and there has been no arrest reported by police.

  8. Three dead and four wounded, police say

    Düsseldorf police spokesperson Anja Kynast has told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that at least three people were killed and four others wounded in the attack.

    German outlets Spiegel and RND have also reported three people have died and four people wounded.

  9. Attack took place in popular city market square

    The crime sceneGetty Images

    The area where the attack took place is a marketplace square known as Fronhof, located in the city centre. Music acts were being performed at the time,

    It's nearby to several restaurants along a wide street, and located near a shopping mall.

    The attack came as the city was celebrating its 650th anniversary as a "Festival of Diversity".

    The German newspaper Bild, quoting the event organisers, said that the event was due to run until Sunday, and was expected to draw in about 80,000 visitors over three days.

  10. Solingen mayor reacts with 'shock' to stabbings

    The mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach, has just shared a message on social media.

    He says everyone who had turned out to celebrate the city's anniversary was in a state of "shock, horror and great grief".

    His message says the attack in Solingen "breaks my heart".

    Thanking the emergency services, he adds there are "tears" in his eyes for those who have died.

    "I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives."

    "Also my greatest sympathy for all those people who had to experience this, these images must have been horrific."

    Again, we've translated these quotes from German to English.

  11. Photos show crime scene

    Police on sceneReuters

    Members of the public have been asked to stay away from the city centre as investigators work to find the attacker, and save the lives of wounded victims.

    These are the latest photos from the scene at Solingen.

    Emergency workers at the sceneEPA

  12. Local newspaper describes scene

    Police and ambulances stand near the scene where a several people died and several were injured in an attack on late August 23, 2024 in Solingen, western Germany, according to German media, as the city celebrated its 650th anniversary.Getty Images

    While details of the attack remain unclear, The Solinger Tageblatt newspaper has reported that many of the people attending the festival did not know an attack had occurred until organisers came to the stage at 22:00 local time to make an announcement that the event had been cancelled.

    Attendees were asked to peacefully leave the scene, and not to panic as they departed.

    One witness, Lars Breitzke, told the outlet that he knew something was wrong when he saw a singer on stage with a strange expression on their face.

    "And then a person fell over just a meter away from me," Breitzke told the outlet.

    We've translated Breitzke's quote to the local news outlet from German to English for this post.

  13. First pictures from Solingen

    Scene in SolingenAP
    Police in SolingenAP

  14. Where is Solingen?

    BBC map of Germany

    Solingen is a city in west Germany with about 160,000 inhabitants.

    It lies about 15 miles (25 km) east of Düsseldorf and north east of Cologne.

    The festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday.

  15. Attacker stabbed people at random - reports

    German newspaper Bild is reporting that the suspect stabbed people at random at the festival in Solingen.

    Bild reports that at least three people were dead and multiple people have been wounded.

    It also reports the incident happened at around 21:45 local time (20:45 BST), and that witnesses say the attacker was still at large.

  16. Several killed in knife attack in Germany
    Breaking

    Police in Germany say a number of people have been killed and injured in a suspected knife attack in the western city of Solingen.

    At the time of the attack, celebrations were under way to mark the 650th anniversary of the city being founded.

    Armed officers are at the scene of the attack and it’s believed the attacker is still at large.