Shooting at Aarau Rave: 22-year-old Woman Killed, Police Launch Nationwide Manhunt
A 22-year-old woman was shot dead at a rave party in Aarau, with four further people injured. Aargau cantonal police have launched a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators.
Nationwide manhunt for fatal shots at Aarau Rave
Following the shooting at the end of a rave party in Aarau, in which a 22-year-old woman lost her life, Aargau cantonal police have launched a nationwide manhunt for the shooter or shooters, according to Google News CH — Crime (de). Four young men and a woman aged between 24 and 27 were injured, ranging from slight to serious.
Police spokesperson Bernhard Graser announced at a hastily convened press conference on Sunday afternoon that police had been alerted at 2:30 a.m. Police quickly recognised it was a major incident and immediately deployed all available units. For twelve hours, practically all available Aargau police officers have been in action; other cantons have also provided personnel.
The crime scene at Aargau Schachen remained cordoned off — not due to an imminent threat, but because of extensive forensic work, according to Graser. The investigation includes, among other things, determining how many shots were fired. Police assume that a "large number of shots" were fired.
"Based on the entire situation, we rule out that the perpetrators could become active elsewhere and pose a new threat," the police spokesperson told the media.
Around just over one hundred ravers were questioned by police in a gymnasium following the shooting. Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the act remained unclear, Aargau cantonal police had previously stated. According to the German Press Agency, German police are also participating in the manhunt for the perpetrators — a routine procedure within the framework of police cooperation, as a spokesperson for police in Freiburg im Breisgau confirmed.
According to Italian news agencies Ansa and Adnkronos, the victim is an Italian woman. Ansa reported, citing the Italian foreign ministry, that Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis had expressed condolences to his Italian counterpart. Aargau cantonal police referred to victims with residence in Switzerland.
An eyewitness who presented himself as a visitor to the party in Aargau regional television Tele M1 described how the noise initially resembled fireworks. When the music stopped around 2:30 a.m., guests had begun moving towards the exit. "Only after a few people said: Duck down, they're shooting! did a few people realise what was happening and hid behind the bar fridge," the man said. A woman had lain on the ground there, struck by a shot, and died on site.
The "Aarau Rave" had taken place on Saturday evening at Aargau Schachen, where DJs played techno music. According to their website, the organisers had expected 3,500 visitors. The venue was the horse racing track on the grounds, which also includes a swimming pool and other sports facilities.
Techno DJ Tekibo, who performed at the event, wrote on social media following the incident that techno and raves should be a place of freedom and safety. He was "okay," but was still processing what had happened, as he had lost an "important friend." "RIP M," the DJ wrote.
The Aargau cantonal government stated on platform X that it was "deeply affected by the violence in Aarau," condemned it and thought of the victims, their relatives and all those who had to witness the incident.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)