German authorities won’t rule out terrorist motive for deadly stabbing at concert in Solingen

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - German authorities on Saturday said they are still trying to establish a motive but they cannot rule out terrorism after a man killed three people and injured eight others at a music festival in the western city of Solingen, according to media reports.

The perpetrator in the stabbing attack has not yet been identified, senior public prosecutor Markus Caspers told a press conference in the western city of Wuppertal.

“We have not yet been able to identify a motive, but based on the overall circumstances we assume that the initial suspicion of a terrorist-motivated act cannot be ruled out,” he added.

Police have confirmed that they arrested a 15-year-old, but said they could not provide further information.

According to media reports, there is said to have been a second arrest. However, the police did not confirm this when asked by journalists. Currently only one arrest can be confirmed, said police director Thorsten Fleiss.

Police also confirmed two men and a woman were killed in the attack. The two male victims are reportedly 67 and 56 years old, and the deceased woman 56. Furthermore, eight other people were injured, four of them seriously.

They said also that it was a “very targeted attack” at people’s throats.

The assailant randomly attacked people with a knife during a live music show on Friday evening, police spokesman Alexander Kresta told reporters.

"We are currently assuming that it was one person," he said, adding that officers were interviewing witnesses and gathering information to establish the identity of the suspect.

Police have asked the public to be cautious in Solingen's city center as the assailant is still at large.

"People in the city center should be careful. Anyone who sees a suspicious person should immediately call 110,” a police spokesman told public broadcaster ARD.

Special police teams armed with heavy weapons are patrolling the streets, which are nearly empty following the attack.​​​​​​​

Solingen authorities have canceled the three-day Festival of Diversity, which had been expected to draw 80,000 people this weekend to mark the city’s 650th anniversary.​​​​​​​