Major police operation at Goldach school festival: 15-year-old with knife under investigation, firecrackers triggered alarm
Following a major police operation at a school festival in Goldach SG, a 15-year-old carrying a knife has become the focus of investigation. Firecrackers are believed to have triggered reports of gunshots.
Knife and firecrackers triggered major police operation at Goldach school festival
Blick has reported new details about the major police operation from last Friday evening at the school festival in Goldach SG. Shortly after 20:20, the emergency and operations centre of the St. Gallen cantonal police received several reports of alleged gunshots. Around 300 people had to remain in the school premises before being sent home at 1:30 – there were no injuries.
As early as Monday, the St. Gallen cantonal police had announced in a media statement that a 15-year-old had been identified who had appeared at the school festival with a knife. According to the authorities, there were no indications of an actual exchange of gunfire. The loud banging sounds were attributed by police, based on initial findings, to pyrotechnics. There was no direct connection between the teenager with the knife and the firecrackers.
In a statement to the "St. Galler Tagblatt", a media spokesperson for the cantonal police clarified that the identified teenager does not attend school at the secondary level in Goldach. Further questions – such as whether he had actually threatened or frightened anyone at the festival – were not answered by the spokesperson for investigative reasons.
Police also confirmed that the banging sounds were almost certainly caused by ignited pyrotechnics. As evidence, the media spokesperson cited recovered remains of pyrotechnic items that were scattered throughout the area around the school to the railway station. These are believed to be firecrackers, although final clarification is still ongoing. According to police, it remains unknown who ignited the firecrackers.
According to the media spokesperson, both the 15-year-old with the knife and the ignited firecrackers together contributed to the alarm and the police major operation. As part of ongoing investigations, it is now being examined whether identified persons found to be responsible must contribute to the costs incurred as a result of the incident.
Source: Blick