A deadly knife attack occurred at a crowded festival celebrating the anniversary of a city in western Germany, killing three people and wounding eight others. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the terrorist incident, while German authorities arrested a 15-year-old and a 26-year-old in connection to the incident.
Police arrested the suspected attacker of a knife rampage in Solingen early on Sunday as the manhunt threatened to enter a second day. The 26-year-old man turned himself into the authorities and said he was responsible for the stabbings, officials said.
On Saturday police raided… pic.twitter.com/HzsPtthkye— Eagle Eye (@SortedEagle) August 27, 2024
Solingen, a city famous for its steel industry, has a population of 160,000 and is located near bigger cities such as Cologne and Düsseldorf. The city was holding a “Festival of Diversity” to mark its 650th anniversary, and the planned three-day celebrations, which began on August 23rd, were supposed to run until August 25th but were later canceled following the attack.
Those killed were two men, aged 56 and 67, and a 56-year-old woman, according to officials. Eight were wounded, with four of them in serious condition. All of the victims were stabbed in the neck. Police also said the attacker deliberately aimed for the victims’ throats, and while they are still trying to establish a motive for the attack, police said they cannot rule out terrorism.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the mass knife attack on August 24th, with the militant group releasing a statement on its Telegram account that the attacker targeted Christians and that as a “soldier of the Islamic State,” the assailant carried out the brutal assault on the night of August 23rd “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
That damn “Far right” at it again.
— (@LionChief101) August 26, 2024
However, it did not immediately provide any evidence for its claims, and it wasn’t clear how close any relationship between the Islamic State and the attacker was. Accounts claiming to speak for the Islamic State have falsely claimed responsibility for terrorist incidents and atrocities in the past.
Authorities warned people to remain vigilant even as mourners and well-wishers started leaving flowers at the scene of the attack. They also established an online portal where witnesses can upload footage or any other information relevant to the attack, and they urged people not to speculate about the attack.
On August 25th, police officers detained a 15-year-old on suspicion that he had information about the planned attack but did not notify authorities. Two female witnesses told police they overheard the boy and a second person where they discussed details about the attack. The boy currently remains in police custody.
Isis = USA and ISRAEL
— Magno_Cruz (@MagnoCr60382983) August 25, 2024
Meanwhile, German authorities also arrested a 26-year-old man originally from Syria after he surrendered to the police and confessed to the attacks. The second suspect, only named Issa Al H because of Germany’s privacy laws, reportedly surrendered himself in dirty, blood-stained clothes, according to German news sites such as Spiegel and Bild.
Prosecutors also said Issa Al H is under investigation for murder, attempted murder, and "strong suspicions of belonging to a terrorist group abroad.”
Thorsten Fleiss, who led police officers on the night of August 23rd following the attack, said police officers conducted searches and investigations in the entire state of North-Rhine Westphalia. He said police found several knives, although he was unable to confirm if any of them were used during the attack.
Won’t happen , empty promises
— D1ngbat (@D1ngbat3) August 26, 2024
Several German politicians condemned the attack.
“Last night, our hearts were torn apart. We in Solingen are full of horror and grief. What happened yesterday in our city has hardly let any of us sleep,” Tim Kurzbach, the mayor of Solingen, told reporters.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sent their condolences to the victims' families and said they spoke with Kurzbach regarding the issue.
Because to send him home would have been unkind or some such shit.
— Henry Swanson 37 (@37Swanson) August 26, 2024
“The heinous act in Solingen shocks me and our country. We mourn those killed and worry about those injured, and I wish them strength and a speedy recovery from all my heart,” Steinmeier said.
“The attack in Solingen is a terrible event that has shocked me greatly. An attacker has brutally killed several people. I have just spoken to Solingen’s mayor, Tim Kurzbach. We mourn the victims and stand by their families,” Scholz wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
