Daijiworld Media Network – Aarau
Aarau, Aug 30: At least one person was killed and five others injured in a shooting near a rave event in Aarau, northern Switzerland, in the early hours of Sunday, police said.
The incident occurred around 3 am local time at the Schachen area, where a large rave event had been held at a racecourse. Some of the injured are reportedly in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could increase.
Police, medical teams and firefighters rushed to the area following reports of gunfire. Authorities launched a large-scale operation and appealed to residents to stay away from the area while the search and investigation continued.
"According to preliminary findings, the nighttime shots in Aarau's Schachen have claimed one fatality and five people injured, some of them seriously," the Aargau Cantonal Police said in a statement on X.
Police said a manhunt was underway for an unidentified suspect. The motive and exact circumstances of the shooting remain unclear.
"The manhunt for the unknown perpetrator is underway. Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the crime are still unclear," police said, adding that a large contingent had been deployed and an investigation launched.
The shooting took place in connection with Aarau Rave Vol. 7, organised by Swiss company Urban Agency Events AG. According to local media reports, around 3,500 people attended the event, which began at about 3 pm on Saturday and continued until around 2 am on Sunday.
The shooting occurred shortly after the event's scheduled conclusion. Police have not yet established whether the shooting was directly connected to the rave or whether the victims and attacker were participants at the event.
Aarau, located around 46 km west of Zurich, has a population of approximately 22,300.
The incident has drawn attention in a country known for relatively widespread civilian gun ownership. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, although serious gun violence remains relatively uncommon.
Switzerland tightened its firearms regulations in 2019, including measures concerning the registration and tracking of certain weapons and components, additional training requirements and restrictions on some semi-automatic firearms.
Authorities have urged members of the public to avoid the affected area as investigations and the search for the suspected shooter continue.