A nationwide manhunt was underway in Switzerland after a shooting at an overnight rave in the northern town of Aarau left one person dead and five others wounded early Sunday, police said.
Aargau cantonal police said a 22-year-old woman died from her injuries at the scene. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed the victim was an Italian citizen.
Four men and one woman, aged between 24 and 27, were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe. All of the victims are residents of Switzerland, and authorities withheld their names in line with Swiss privacy rules, according to the Associated Press.
The gunfire erupted around 2:30 a.m. during a techno party held at a covered horse-racing track in Aarau’s Schachen district, an event attended by roughly 3,500 people. Footage published by Swiss outlet Blick captured a rapid series of shots.
Investigators cordoned off large sections of the town, urged residents to avoid the area and appealed to the public for any photos or video of the incident. A public swimming pool in Aarau was also closed as the operation continued.
Police said they did not know whether they were searching for one attacker or several, or whether those responsible fled by vehicle or on foot, Reuters reported.
Spokesperson Bernhard Graser told reporters the search was continuing nonstop at full speed, with virtually the entire cantonal force deployed. The operation drew support from other cantons, the Argus special unit, a disaster response team and a Swiss Army Super Puma helicopter.
German police in Freiburg also joined the effort as part of routine cross-border cooperation. Aargau Police Commander Michael Leupold told reporters the end of the operation was not yet in sight.
By Sunday evening, investigators reported no concrete leads on the identity or number of perpetrators, though they said evidence suggested the suspects had left the Aarau area and no longer posed an immediate threat.
The motive and exact circumstances of the attack remain unclear. Aarau, the capital of Aargau canton, lies about 50 kilometers west of Zurich and roughly 30 kilometers south of the German border. Graser called the incident unique in recent years for Switzerland, where such shootings are rare, as per Boston Globe.
Tags
Switzerland, Police, Shooting, Manhunt