Solingen attack: German police make second arrest over fatal stabbings – live updates

10.02pm BST

The 15-year-old connected to the case remains in custody.

He was detained this morning after two women reported overhearing a conversation between him and a second person in which they discussed the attack, the BBC reported.

9.34pm BST

9.32pm BST

9.30pm BST

9.08pm BST

German police make second arrest over fatal stabbings

Police made a second arrest on Saturday in their investigation of a deadly stabbing in the western German city of Solingen, a spokesperson said.

The arrest followed a police operation at a home for refugees in Solingen, the spokesperson added. They said they could not provide any more details on the individual or the connection to the incident.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Saturday for a knife attack in the western German city of Solingen that killed three people and injured eight others.

The militant group said in a statement on its Telegram account that the attack was carried out by one of its members “in revenge for Muslims in Palestine and everywhere”.

It did not immediately provide any evidence for its assertion and it was not clear how close any relationship between the attacker and Islamic State was. Accounts claiming to speak for Islamic State have falsely claimed responsibility for atrocities in the past.

Earlier, police in Germany had said they did not rule out a “terrorist motive” after the mass stabbing at a festival on Friday night.

Related: German police make second arrest over fatal stabbings in Solingen

8.03pm BST

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Saturday for a knife attack in the western German city of Solingen that killed three people and injured eight others.

The militant group said in a statement on its Telegram account that the attack was carried out by one of its members “in revenge for Muslims in Palestine and everywhere”.

It did not immediately provide any evidence for its assertion and it was not clear how close any relationship between the attacker and Islamic State was.

It’s worth pointing out that in the past accounts claiming to speak for Islamic State have falsely claimed responsibility for atrocities.

Since the fall of its Caliphate, the group’s web propaganda has been less prodigious than at the height of its power.

But there has been concern about elements of Islamic State regrouping and it remains the dominant label in the violent Jihadist world.

Intelligence agencies across the West will be assessing whether the claim of responsibility for the German attack is genuine or not.

Updated at 8.26pm BST

7.57pm BST

German police said they were conducting an operation to access a building in the western German city of Solingen on Saturday as they investigated the stabbing, Reuters reported.

3.59pm BST

Solingen attack: What we know so far

This blog has paused for now – but do read below this post for all of today’s updates and check back for any significant developments.

Here’s everything we know so far about last night’s knife attack in Solingen, following this afternoon’s police press conference and confirmation that a 15-year-old is in custody in relation to the attack.

• A 15-year-old has been arrested in relation to an attack that killed three people and injured eight at a diversity festival in the western German city of Solingen , police said.

• Terrorism has not been ruled out as a motive. Prosecutor Markus Caspers said that police are looking at terror, saying that there is no other obvious motive and that the attacker appears to be unknown to the victims.

• It is not known if the 15-year-old was the attacker. German media have reported that the teenager is suspected of speaking to the attacker prior to the incident.

• The three people that were killed were two men, aged 67 and 56, and a woman, 56.

• Eight others were injured, four are fighting for their lives, police said.

• Police said that they found “multiple knives” in the area and were looking at which, if any, were used in the attack.

• The stabbings happened during a festival of diversity to mark the city’s 650th anniversary, which began on Friday and was supposed to run through to Sunday.

• Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9.30pm on Friday night to an unknown attacker having wounded several people with a knife in the city’s central square, the Fronhof .

• Authorities cancelled the remainder of the weekend festival. Other festivals scheduled for this weekend in the area have also been cancelled.

• The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz , said that the perpetrator must be caught quickly and punished to fullest extent of the law.

• The country’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser , said in an update on X that police were still searching for the attacker and trying establish a motive.

Updated at 4.20pm BST

3.37pm BST

People have been leaving more tributes to the victims of last night’s attack in Solingen.

2.57pm BST

The press conference is over.

Police were pressed on giving a description or images of the alleged perpetrator, but declined to do so. “Nothing would be more damaging than giving a description and then, during the investigation, it turns out that the person actually looks completely different,” said the police spokesman. Police did not give any further information about the 15-year-old who was arrested.

Asked about speculation there were two attackers, police said they were not aware of those reports and would not comment.

There was a question about a conversation overheard by two witnesses, allegedly between the attacker and someone else – police confirmed the witnesses had reported the conversation after the attack but did not provide more details.

Updated at 3.12pm BST

2.38pm BST

Police said they cannot rule out terrorism

Police said they cannot rule out a terrorist motive.

Prosecutor Markus Caspers said that police are looking at a terror motive, adding that there’s no other obvious motive and that the attacker appears to be unknown to the victims.

Police said there was no specific terror threat before the festival and there was not a large security zone in place.

Updated at 2.41pm BST

2.28pm BST

Asked about speculation that the attacker targeted people’s necks, police confirmed that it was a “very targeted attack” at people’s throats.

Updated at 2.58pm BST

2.25pm BST

The chief of police said officers do not believe anyone else was involved in the attack, responding to a question about social media speculation that there were multiple attackers.

He appealed to the public for more information and urged people not to speculate or share information on social media.

2.20pm BST

Police said they have found multiple knives in the area but do not yet know which, if any, were used in the attack.

German media earlier reported that a weapon had been found in a bin in central Solingen.

2.15pm BST

Police confirm 15-year-old arrested in connection with attack

Police said they are still trying to establish a motive but they cannot rule out terrorism.

They confirmed they arrested a 15-year-old, but said they could not give further information.

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

Police urged people to avoid speculation about the attack. And asked people with evidence to submit it using the official helpline, rather than posting it on social media.

Updated at 2.59pm BST

2.11pm BST

The press conference involving Düsseldorf police and the public prosecutor is underway in Wuppertal, a city near Solingen.

2.09pm BST

German media has reported that the suspected murder weapon used in the knife attack was found in a bin in Solingen city centre.

1.21pm BST

German police say a person has been detained in connection with the attack

Reuters reports German police have detained a person and are investigating whether there is a connection between them and the Solingen knife attack.

We will update you as soon as we have more information.

Updated at 1.35pm BST

1.17pm BST

Festivities in neighbouring towns have been cancelled this weekend.

The festival of cultures planned for Saturday and Sunday in Hilden, about seven miles from Solingen, was cancelled. The town’s mayor Claus Pommer said in a statement: “We are horrified and deeply saddened by the terrible events that shook our neighboring town of Solingen yesterday ...

Due to the security situation, but above all out of compassion for the people from our neighboring town, we have decided to cancel the Hilden festival of cultures.”

This weekend’s wine festival in the town of Haan, about five miles from Solingen, has also been cancelled. “We are thinking together of the relatives of the dead and hope and pray for those who are still fighting for their lives,” said mayor Bettina Warnecke. “We cannot celebrate when our neighbouring town is mourning just a few kilometres away.”

1.09pm BST

Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) have called for knife bans in the wake of the Solingen attack.

“It is clear to me that our security services must have more powers to detect such perpetrators at an early stage, especially in the digital space,” the deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, Dirk Wiese, told the Rheinische Post, Der Spiegel reported. “We must also finally make progress on knife bans.”

“More knife ban zones, an extension of the ban on carrying knives for people who have committed crimes, a ban on carrying them on buses and trains, and rapid prosecution in the event of violations,” Wiese said.

He said he was shocked and appalled “by the probable terrorist attack on the city festival in Solingen.”

12.39pm BST

Footage showing the moment revellers were told to leave last night’s event after the tragedy has emerged.

As you can see below, Philipp Müller, an organiser of Solingen’s diversity festival, addresses festival-goers direct from the stage.

‘We have many people seriously injured,’ he says, as gasps are heard from the audience

12.16pm BST

Police questioning victims and witnesses

More now from police investigating the incident, which took place at around 9.40pm local time on Friday.

We’re still awaiting details on the victims but officers have now revealed they are questioning those involved. Police also remain at the scene, as you can see in the picture below.

We know eight people were injured and three killed - but there’s still no clue as to the motive.

“Both victims and witnesses are currently being questioned. The police are currently searching for the perpetrator with a large team,” officers said in a statement.

12.00pm BST

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on X: “Deeply shocked by the brutal and insidious attack in Solingen. My thoughts are with the families of the dead and the injured, to whom I wish a speedy recovery. We need clarity about the background to this crime as soon as possible.”

Von der Leyen is a German politician. She held cabinet positions, including defence minister, in Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat (CDU) government.

11.32am BST

People have begun to leave flowers and candles at the scene of the attack in Solingen.

11.20am BST

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke to the mayor of Solingen this morning.

In a statement, Steinmeier said: “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.”

“The perpetrator needs to be brought to justice. Let’s stand together — against hatred and violence.”

11.16am BST

The band that was due to play on the stage near where at the attack took place has released a statement on Facebook.

The Udo Lindenberg tribute band, Der Udonaut und die Paniker, were due to play the Fronhof stage at 10pm. The attack happened at about 9.40pm and the performance was cancelled.

The band said: “We were supposed to play at the Fronhof in Solingen this evening,” the band wrote on Facebook. “Unfortunately, the festival was stopped by a cruel attack on this very square. We are safe! Please take care of yourselves.”

Updated at 11.21am BST

10.59am BST

Düsseldorf police and the state capital’s public prosecutor’s office will hold a press conference at 3pm local time (2pm BST), Der Spiegel reports.

They will talk about current state of the investigation at the police headquarters in Wuppertal, a city near Solingen. Solingen’s mayor Tim Kurzbach is also expected to attend.

Updated at 11.12am BST

10.53am BST

Solingen was holding celebrations for the 650th anniversary of the city when the attacker struck last night.

The celebrations involved a weekend-long festival of diversity, marking the anniversary, which began last night.

The event had several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics. Events centred around stages in Neumarkt, Mühlenplatz and Fronhof, the scene of last night’s attack.

Organisers said they hoped to “celebrate the future in solidarity and sustainability”.

The festival was due to run until Sunday, but organisers cancelled the event following last night’s attack.

10.39am BST

Police are continuing to search for the attacker, in the city of Solingen and the surrounding area.

Solingen, where the attack took place at a festival of diversity last night, is a city in west Germany with a population of about 160,000 people.

The city is in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, which borders the Netherlands.

It lies about 15 miles east of Düsseldorf and a similar distance north east of Cologne.

10.12am BST

Police are urging Solingen’s residents to continue to be cautious, German newspaper Der Spiegel reports.

“People in the city centre should be careful,” said a spokesman for the Düsseldorf police. “Anyone who sees a suspicious person should immediately call the emergency number 110 and not speak to them.”

10.06am BST

President of the European parliament, Roberta Metsola, added to the voices condemning the attack and hoping for a quick recovery for those injured.

“I am deeply shocked by this terrible attack on innocent citizens at the city festival in Solingen. Hate and violence must have no place in our society. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” she said in a post on X.

9.36am BST

Germany’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock , wrote in a post on X: “The perfidious attack in Solingen on people who were celebrating the 650th anniversary of their city shocked me deeply. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims. And my thanks go to the security forces who are searching intensively for the perpetrator.”

9.20am BST

Perpetrator 'must be caught quickly and punished to fullest extent of the law', Scholz says

German chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday that the perpetrator of the attack must be caught quickly and punished to fullest extent of the law.

“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,” his statement on X read.

“I wish the injured a speedy recovery. The perpetrator must be caught quickly and punished to the full extent of the law.”

9.16am BST

Those killed in last night’s attack were a woman and two men, according to North Rhine-Westphalia interior minister Herbert Reul, German newspaper Die Welt reports.

9.14am BST

One of the festival organisers, Philipp Müller , appeared on stage as the attack unfolded and asked attendees to “go calmly. Please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn’t been caught.”

The clip can be seen in the video at the top of this page (starting at 0:28).

9.03am BST

Here are some of the latest images coming out of Solingen:

8.46am BST

Police spokesman Markus Seitz denied reports on Saturday morning that the perpetrator had deliberately stabbed his victims in the neck: “The police currently have no reliable evidence that he aimed the knife at his victims’ necks,” German tabloid Bild reported.

8.36am BST

German musician Topic said he was playing on a nearby stage when the attack occurred, Reuters reports.

He was told about what happened but was asked to continue “to avoid causing a mass panic attack”, he said in a post on Instagram. He was eventually told to stop, and “since the attacker was still on the run, we hid in a nearby store while police helicopters circled above us,” he wrote.

8.20am BST

What we know so far

• Three people have been killed and eight injured in a knife attack at a diversity festival in the western German city of Solingen, police said.

• Witnesses alerted police shortly after 9.30pm last night to an unknown attacker having wounded several people with a knife on a central square, the Fronhof.

• Police are still searching for the attacker, who fled the scene. They said they believe the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker. The motive for the attack is still not clear.

• The attack happened at a square in the city centre hosting the Festival of Diversity to mark the city’s 650th anniversary, which began on Friday and was supposed to run through to Sunday. Organisers were expecting thousands to attend.

• Authorities cancelled the remainder of the weekend festival.

• This morning Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser gave an update on X, saying police were still searching for the attacker and trying establish a motive.

Updated at 8.44am BST

8.07am BST

Security services 'doing all they can' to catch assailant

Germany’s interior minister, Nancy Faeser, said authorities are doing all they can to catch the perpetrator of last night’s attack.

“Our security authorities are doing everything they can to catch the perpetrator and investigate the background of the attack,” she said in a post on X.

Updated at 8.26am BST

2.24am BST

We’ll pause this live blog in a moment – it’s almost 3.25am in Solingen. You can read our full report here on the west German knife attacks and the police search for the perpetrator. Thanks for being with us.

1.51am BST

The premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, the west German state that takes in Solingen, said the attacks had “struck our country to the heart”.

Hendrik Wüst posted on X :

North Rhine-Westphalia is united in shock and grief. In these dark hours, the people of our state and beyond are in Solingen with their hearts and thoughts.

An act of brutal and senseless violence has struck our country to the heart.

The whole of North Rhine-Westphalia stands by the people of Solingen, especially the victims and their families.

A big thank you goes to the many rescue workers and our police who are fighting for people’s lives at this very moment.

Updated at 1.51am BST

1.41am BST

Solinger Tageblatt deputy editor Björn Boch has told the BBC the celebrations at the festival had been “supposed to last for three days, and the city expected 25,000 people every night”.

“The city was just packed with people,” he said, estimating that “a few thousands people” were at Friday’s free event.

1.37am BST

Pictures have arrived of German special forces police at work in Solingen after Friday night’s stabbings. Police have said three people were killed and four seriously injured and a “large contingent” of police were searching for the perpetrator.

1.22am BST

A witness who spoke to the local newspaper Solinger Tageblatt said he was a few metres from the attack, not far from the stage, and “understood from the expression on the singer’s face that something was wrong”.

“And then, a metre away from me, a person fell,” said the man, Lars Breitzke , who at first thought it was someone who was drunk.

But when he turned around, he saw other people lying on the ground and several pools of blood, he added.

Agence France-Presse also cited the newspaper as reporting that one of the co-organisers of the diversity festival came on stage after the attacks to cancel the event and that the crowd was asked to leave the city centre.

Following the announcement, thousands of attendees cleared the area, the paper reported, with a journalist at the scene describing the atmosphere as “ghostly”.

“People left the scene in shock, but calmly,” Philipp Mueller , one of the organisers, told the newspaper.

Germany has seen a series of knife attacks over the past 12 months, with the interior minister, Nancy Faeser , promising to crack down on knife crime. A police officer was killed and five people were wounded in a knife attack at a far-right rally in the south-western city of Mannheim in late May.

1.13am BST

Here’s our just-updated full report on the knife attacks in the west German city of Solingen and the police search for the suspect:

Related: Germany mass stabbing: three killed and four seriously injured at diversity festival

1.04am BST

The state interior minister, Herbert Reul , has visited the scene of the stabbings and told reporters it was a targeted attack on human life but declined to speculate on the motive, Reuters reports.

Solingen is in North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germany’s most populous state and bordering the Netherlands.

The attack occurred at the Fronhof, the mayor has said, a market square where live bands were playing.

Updated at 1.05am BST

12.54am BST

The local newspaper Solinger Tageblatt quoted its reporter covering the festival as saying a party atmosphere had turned to shock within minutes after the attacks and that she saw festival-goers weeping.

“The atmosphere is spooky,” Celine Derikartz said, according to an Associated Press report.

The Festival of Diversity, marking the western German city’s 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics, as we have reported.

Solingen has about 160,000 residents and is located near the bigger cities of Cologne and Duesseldorf.

Updated at 12.56am BST

12.37am BST

Police say knife used in attack and 'large contingent' searching for perpetrator

German police have issued a statement confirming a knife was used in the attacks in Solingen.

The statement from police in Wuppertal, posted on X (formerly Twitter), says:

Yesterday at around 10pm there was an attack at a street festival in #Solingen . An as yet unknown perpetrator attacked several people with a knife.

According to current knowledge, three people were killed and four others seriously injured in the attack.

The #Polizei is deployed with a large contingent and is searching for the fugitive perpetrator.

Updated at 12.43am BST

12.28am BST

German police have said that so far they have only very thin information on the perpetrator of the attack, who is on the run, the Associated Press reports.

Police said they believed the stabbings were carried out by a lone attacker.

One of the festival organisers, Philipp Müller , appeared on stage earlier and asked festival-goers to “go calmly – please keep your eyes open, because unfortunately the perpetrator hasn’t been caught”.

He said many people had been wounded by “a knifeman”.

At least one helicopter was seen in the air, while many police and emergency vehicles with flashing blue lights were on the road and several streets were closed off.

Updated at 12.38am BST

12.16am BST

Here are some of the images coming in from Solingen after the attack.

Updated at 12.22am BST

12.00am BST

The attack occurred amid a heated political debate about rising knife violence in German cities. German news agency dpa cited police sources as saying a knife was used in this attack but that has not been publicly confirmed

Police have so far declined to discuss a possible motive or the identity of the suspect.

11.58pm BST

The local newspaper Solinger Tageblatt has reported that authorities urged people to leave central Solingen in the wake of the attack, and that one of the festival organisers, Philipp Müller, said on a stage that emergency workers were fighting for the lives of nine people.

Rolling news channel NTV showed a video of Müller asking the crowd not to “panic” and to be careful leaving the premises because the attacker was still at large.

11.56pm BST

The attack happened at a square in the city centre hosting the Festival of Diversity, which began on Friday and was supposed to run through to Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics.

Tens of thousands of visitors had been expected over the course of the festival.

Music acts were being performed at the time of the attack.

Updated at 8.09am BST

11.52pm BST

Local mayor Tim Kurzbach wrote on Facebook: “Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness. We all wanted to celebrate our city anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured.”

He said he was praying for all those who are still fighting for their lives and thanked emergency and security services for their work.

11.48pm BST

Opening summary

Police in the German city of Solingen have said three people have been killed and four seriously wounded in an an attack on festival-goers celebrating the city’s 650th anniversary.

An earlier report from German news agency dpa cited unidentified police sources as saying the weapon was believed to be a knife.

No one has been arrested. The Festival of Diversity began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday.

We will bring you the latest updates here.