German police said at least three people were killed and four others seriously injured in an attack at a festival in the western German city of Solingen on Friday night.
Police said the murder weapon was believed to be a knife.
No arrests have been made and police said they had deployed a “large task force” including a helicopter to search for a man who fled the scene. Police declined to discuss a motive or the identity of the suspect.
“We hope that rescue teams will be able to save the injured people who are still alive and that police will be able to arrest the despicable and pitiful perpetrators,” Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said.
“The whole of North Rhine-Westphalia is with the people of Solingen, especially the victims and their families,” state Premier Hendrik Wüst, who arrived at the scene early Saturday morning, wrote on X. “I would like to express my huge gratitude to the many rescue workers and police who are fighting for people’s lives at this very moment.”
The attack took place at an event celebrating the city’s 650th anniversary, billed as a festival of diversity, which began on Friday and was due to run through Sunday. Around 10,000 people took part, many of them gathered around a stage at the Vronhof Market Square in the city centre, where live music was being played.
Most of the injured were believed to have been attacked directly in front of the stage, Bild newspaper said, adding that the man appeared to have aimed for his victims’ throats.
A police spokesman said emergency services received several calls at around 9.30pm where witnesses reported “an unknown individual armed with a knife randomly injuring several people”.
“Many of the witnesses are in a state of shock and are undergoing treatment while making statements,” he said. “Once we have more information about the perpetrator, especially about his appearance, we will be able to better investigate.”
He said the information gathered so far was “very scarce.”
Local newspaper Solinger Tageblatt reported that authorities had urged residents to evacuate the center of Solingen, and festival organiser Philipp Muller said on stage that emergency workers were struggling to save nine lives.
Rolling news channel NTV aired footage of Mueller urging the crowd not to panic as the gunman was still at large and to be careful when leaving the compound.
Witnesses said people remained calm as they left the scene, and media images later showed the scene deserted except for police and emergency vehicles, with armed police guarding the perimeter.
Solingen has about 160,000 inhabitants and is located near larger cities such as Cologne and Düsseldorf.
Mayor Tim Oliver Kurtzbach said the city was “shocked, horrified and deeply saddened.”
“We all wanted to celebrate our city’s anniversary together, but now we must mourn the dead and injured.
“My heart breaks that our city was attacked. Tears flow when I think of those who lost their lives. I pray for all those still fighting for their lives.”
“I also have deep sympathy for all those who had to witness this scene. It must have been a horrific sight. I thank the rescue teams and security forces for all their efforts. Pray with me if you believe. Hope with me if you don’t.”
“What happened in Solingen is terrible, horrifying,” said Serap Güler, a lawmaker from the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
“More than anything, I hope that the victims injured in this horrific attack survive and that their loved ones are strong. I hope the perpetrator is caught soon. My thoughts are with all those at the scene,” she posted on X.
The attack comes amid a fierce political debate over rising knife violence in German cities.
In May, German police shot and killed a man and wounded six people in a knife attack on right-wing protesters in the southwestern German city of Mannheim, including a 29-year-old police officer who intervened and was stabbed to death.
