Aarau shooter lived in isolation in Jura village – neighbours not surprised
Neighbours of the alleged Aarau shooter describe him as withdrawn and barely integrated into village life. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Montsevelier: Who was the alleged perpetrator of Aarau?
In the early hours of Sunday, a 43-year-old Swiss man opened fire with a Kalashnikov at a rave in Aarau – 40 shots, one person killed, six others injured. The Aargau cantonal police describe it as a rampage. The alleged perpetrator lived in Montsevelier, a small village in the Jura, until his arrest. As reported by 20 Minuten, neighbours have now provided insights into his life before the attack.
Sealed door as first sign
Only the sealed front door and a police notice sign indicated that the 43-year-old had lived in the ground-floor flat in Montsevelier. Neighbour Suzanne Lovis only learned on Wednesday evening who had lived behind the door – after she noticed the police seal. The flat had already been searched on Monday morning.
"Barely noticeable"
Lovis describes the man to 20 Minuten as very reserved and quiet. "He lived mainly for himself and was not really integrated into village life." The mayor of Val Terbi, Claude-Alain Chapatte, also describes the Swiss man to Le Matin as "reserved and barely known". Another neighbour reports that the man's car usually stood outside the house during the day but was never there at night.
That the tall man with a ponytail had owned weapons was unknown to the residents. "That surprised us very much," says Lovis.
Former neighbours: "It was clear to us for years"
Former neighbours from the time when the 43-year-old still lived with his parents in a nearby village – before he moved to Montsevelier – reacted differently. The attack in Aarau was a shock, but they had known the man well. "For several years now it has been clear to us that he was crazy," they told 20 Minuten. As an example, they cite the fact that he sometimes slammed his car door shut ten times in a row.
Little is known about his past: the Jura man is said to have begun an apprenticeship as an electrician, but the neighbours do not know whether he completed it. His parents did not wish to comment to 20 Minuten, but are described as "very pleasant" and engaged in the community. According to the local shooting club's president, the man never belonged to the club.
Weapon legally acquired 20 years ago
According to Aargau cantonal police, the 43-year-old purchased the semi-automatic AK-74 around 20 years ago. At the time of the attack, he had two further weapons in the car, including a pistol, which he also fired in Aarau. The authorities had no prior knowledge of the man.
After the attack, he drove to the police station in Delémont early on Monday morning with the alleged vehicle used in the attack and the weapons, and turned himself in.
Motive still unclear
The motive remains unexplained. The accused is currently making no statements. Neither a spatial connection to Aarau nor a personal relationship to those present could be identified so far, the police report. The investigators therefore assume that the man happened upon the event by chance.
Source: 20 Minuten