Three dead in knife rampage at German festival Manhunt underway

German police are intensifying a manhunt following a knife attack at a street festival in Solingen that left three people dead and eight others injured.

The attack occurred on August 23 night, prompting authorities to cordon off the city centre as they investigate, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Five of the injured are in "serious" condition. Special forces and a police helicopter were deployed to aid in the search for the suspect, who remains at large.

According to a statement from the nearby city of Düsseldorf, an unidentified man began attacking festival-goers with a knife around 9:40 p.m. (19:40 GMT). The police are urging witnesses to share any photos, videos, or information related to the attack.

Witness Lars Breitzke described seeing a person fall near him, initially mistaking it for someone who had been drinking too much. Upon closer inspection, he saw other people lying in pools of blood.

The festival was part of Solingen’s 650th anniversary celebrations and was expected to draw up to 75,000 visitors over three days. The event, which featured music, street theatre, and other performances, has been cancelled. The atmosphere was described as "ghostly" as thousands of people evacuated the area.

Mayor Tim-Oliver Kurzbach expressed his deep sorrow, stating the city is in "shock, horror, and great grief." He praised the emergency services and extended his sympathies to those affected. North Rhine-Westphalia Premier Hendrik Wuest also conveyed his "shock and grief," calling the attack an act of "brutal and senseless violence."

This incident adds to a troubling pattern of knife attacks in Germany over the past year. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has pledged to address the issue of knife crime more aggressively.