A 43-year-old Swiss man has been arrested on “strong suspicion” of carrying out a deadly shooting at a rave in Switzerland, police said.
Several shots were fired at a group of people in the early hours of yesterday morning, as an annual rave at the racecourse in Aarau, the capital of the northern canton of Aargau, was drawing to a close.
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The gun attack prompted an international manhunt and left a 22-year-old Italian woman dead. Five other people were injured, some of them seriously.
“A 43-year-old Swiss man was apprehended shortly before 1am this morning,” Aargau police said in a statement.
“Investigations into the exact sequence of events, the background, and the possible motive are currently under way.
“At this stage, it is believed a lone perpetrator was involved.”
In an earlier statement, cantonal police said partygoers had been preparing to leave when the gunman opened fire “at a group of people”.
The Italian woman died at the scene.
“She died instantly, despite attempts to resuscitate her,” police said. Five others were wounded.
Police block a road near the site of the shooting in Aarau, Switzerland
Yesterday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said two Italians were among those injured.
Aargau police later said the wounded were four Swiss men and a German woman, all aged between 24 and 31.
The five were taken to hospital “with injuries ranging from minor to serious”, police said.
The cantonal police are due to hold a press conference on Wednesday.
Three hypotheses
Yesterday, Aargau police chief Michael Leupold said investigators had recovered evidence indicating that two different weapon calibres had been used — one from a pistol or submachine gun and another from an assault rifle.
Mr Leupold said investigators were pursuing three possible explanations: “The first is a terrorist attack, the second a mass shooting and the third a simple criminal act, the motive for which remains unknown.”
He said the shooting could have been “a settling of scores within a group, or something entirely different”.
Police appealed to anyone who had recorded video at the event or nearby to share their footage.
Shootings are uncommon in Switzerland, even though gun ownership is widespread.
The organisers of the rave said they were “devastated” by the violence.
“The insidious attack on the guests at the Aarauer Rave has broken our hearts,” they said on their website.
“A rave should always be a place of joy and love. Never a place where people are killed, injured or left in fear.”
Late yesterday, Swiss President Guy Parmelin offered his condolences to the family of the Italian victim.
“My thoughts are also with all those who have been injured; I wish them a speedy and full recovery,” he said on X.
“My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone affected by this tragic event.”
Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans met German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt in southern Switzerland.
Mr Jans said Swiss authorities were “receiving support” from Berlin and praised the “strong cooperation” between the two countries’ police forces.
