One dead, five injured in shooting at Swiss rave — suspect arrested
A 43-year-old man was arrested after a fatal shooting at a rave in Aarau, Switzerland, killing a 22-year-old Italian woman and wounding five others.
Suspect held after gunman opens fire at rave in Aarau, killing Italian woman
Swiss police arrested a 43-year-old man on Monday following a deadly shooting at a rave in the northern Swiss town of Aarau, Google News MT reports. A 22-year-old woman died at the scene, and five others — four men and one woman aged 24 to 27 — were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
The shooting took place at the Schachen horse racing track, where a rave was being held at the time, according to social media posts by the event's organisers. Aargau Cantonal Police confirmed one fatality and five wounded after shots were fired during the event.
"Investigations into the exact sequence of events, as well as the background and possible motive, are currently underway. At this stage, it is assumed there was a single perpetrator," police said in a statement issued following the suspect's arrest.
All of the victims held Swiss residency, police said. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni later identified the deceased as Maria Spinelli. "My thoughts also go to the other injured, including two Italian citizens, and to all those involved in this dramatic incident," Meloni said, adding that Italy trusts Swiss authorities to "shed full light on the incident and identify those responsible."
An eyewitness speaking to Swiss outlet Blick said he initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks. "At 2:30 a.m. the music suddenly stopped, and after a minute or two I suddenly heard the gunshots… I thought it was fireworks and didn't think anything of it," he was quoted as saying. As he crossed an open yard, he recalled hearing a shot and seeing a woman fall. Despite efforts to help her, she did not survive.
Swiss DJ Tekibo, who performed at the rave, posted a statement on Instagram describing the events as "heartbreaking." "Techno and raves should be places of freedom and safety, never places where something like this happens," he wrote, adding that he had "lost an important friend."
Police cordoned off a large area around the venue and urged the public to avoid the site. The shooter's motive and the precise sequence of events remain under investigation.
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, though shootings are rare. Swiss voters approved tighter gun control measures in a national referendum in 2019. The country's deadliest mass shooting on record occurred in 2001, when a gunman killed 14 politicians in what became known as the Zug massacre.
Source: Google News MT