Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with a fatal knife attack in the west German city of Solingen.
The boy is not the main suspect but is alleged to have known about the attack beforehand.
Two men, aged 56 and 67, and a 56 year-old woman died in the attack on Friday, which German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called a “horrific act”.
It did not immediately provide any evidence and it was not clear how close any relationship with the attacker was.
On Saturday evening, German police raided a refugee home in the city as part of their investigation.
Police also revealed that they found “multiple knives” and were looking into whether one of them was involved in the attack.
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the assailant should be caught quickly and punished to fullest extent of the law.
Solingen – a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is famous for its steel industry – has about 160,000 inhabitants.
In connection with a fatal knife attack in the west German city of Solingen, police have taken into custody a 15-year-old boy.
Although he is not the primary suspect, the boy is said to have been aware of the attack in advance.
The attack on Friday, which German Chancellor Olaf Scholz referred to as a “horrific act,” claimed the lives of two men, ages 56 and 67, as well as a woman, 56.
The attack’s perpetrator was identified as the Islamic State group. It was unclear how close any relationship was to the attacker and it did not immediately present any evidence.
German police raided a city refugee home on Saturday night as part of their investigation.
The 15-year-old associated with the case was taken into custody this morning, according to the police, after two females claimed to have overheard him and another individual discussing the attack.
Investigators are still working to determine the identity of the actual attacker even though he is still in custody.
Police stated they could not rule out the possibility that this was a “terrorist-motivated offence,” despite the fact the motive of the suspect is unknown.
According to the police, there was no particular terror threat or extensive security area in place prior to the festival.
Markus Röhrl, the chief of police, solicited information from the public and advised against speculating on social media.
Authorities also disclosed that they had discovered “multiple knives” and were investigating the possibility that one of them was used in the assault.
The attacker apparently stabbed onlookers “at random” at a celebration honoring Solingen’s founding as an industrial city 650 years ago.
According to authorities, it was challenging to identify the attacker because of the “extremely chaotic” conditions that prevailed after the attack.
The attacker “targeted” people’s throats and necks, according to police confirmation.
Olaf Scholz, the chancellor of Germany, declared that the attacker needed to be apprehended right away and prosecuted to the maximum degree possible.
Nancy Faeser, the interior minister, offered her condolences and stated that security forces were “trying everything to find the attacker and understand the origins of the attack.”.
There are roughly 160,000 people living in Solingen, a North Rhine-Westphalian city well-known for its steel sector. It’s located roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) east of Düsseldorf.
Around 22:00 local time (21:00 BST) on Friday, after the attack, the city’s authorities asked people to leave the Fronhof market area.
“Tonight all of us in Solingen are in shock, horror, and great sadness,” Mayor Tim Kurzbach wrote in a Facebook statement on Friday night.
“I am deeply saddened by the news of an attack in our city. When I consider the people we’ve lost, tears well up in my eyes.
“I offer prayers to everyone who is battling for their life. My deepest condolences go out to everyone who had to go through this; these must have been horrifying pictures. “.
