One person was killed and five others were injured in a shooting at a rave in the northern Swiss canton of Aargau early Sunday, as reported by local police and media. The police are currently searching for a suspect, and the motive behind the crime remains unknown.
According to the cantonal police, a 22-year-old woman died at the scene, while four men and one woman, aged between 24 and 27, sustained injuries of varying severity and were taken to the hospital.
All the victims are Swiss residents, and their identities have not been disclosed in adherence to privacy regulations.
Police officers were seen patrolling near the Schachen horse racing track following the shooting incident at the rave. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via The Associated Press)
The police were alerted to the shooting at the Aarau Rave VOL. 7 event at around 2:30 a.m. in Aarau, the capital of the canton, located 46 kilometers west of Zurich, as stated by police spokesperson Pascal Wenzel in an interview with Swiss public broadcaster SRF.
A large police operation was in progress, urging locals to avoid the area, while firefighting and ambulance services were present on the scene in significant numbers.
Authorities in Freiburg, Germany, also participated in the search for the suspect, according to the German news agency dpa.
Witnesses initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks at the rave, per Swiss newspaper Blick, which reported that the shooting occurred just after the event concluded, prompting the police to relocate the remaining attendees to a nearby gym.
Police have requested anyone with videos or photos of the incident to share them for investigation purposes.
The Aargau Racing Club, which manages the venue, expressed its shock at the tragedy and extended condolences to those affected, praising the efforts of emergency responders and others involved.
Swiss DJ Tekibo, who performed at the rave, expressed sadness over the incident on Instagram, emphasizing that such events should be places of safety and freedom.
Aarau, a city with a population of 22,300, is located approximately 30 kilometers south of the German border.
