German police have arrested a man suspected of killing three people and injuring eight others in a knife attack in Solingen, a city in the west of the country.
The attack happened during a festival celebrating Solingen’s 650th anniversary, shocking the entire nation.
According to the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Herbert Reul, the suspect was captured late Saturday after turning himself in, wearing blood-stained clothes.
This was the third arrest of the day, and although a 15-year-old boy was also detained earlier, officials said he wasn’t the main suspect.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, although they didn’t provide any evidence to back up their claim, as BBC reports.
The stabbing took place in Solingen’s central market square, where the attacker randomly targeted people, aiming for their throats and necks.
The chaotic scene made it difficult for the police to find the perpetrator immediately, according to BBC. Solingen, a city known for its steel industry, had planned a three-day celebration, but all events were canceled after the tragedy.
Solingen’s mayor, Tim Kurzbach, expressed deep sorrow, saying the entire city is in shock and mourning the lives lost. Flowers and candles now mark the site of the attack, and police are guarding the area.
Players in Germany’s Bundesliga football league wore black armbands during their matches in remembrance of the victims, as BBC shares.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crlr2z23ykno