Swiss rave shooting in Aarau kills Italian woman, suspect held after firing 40 rounds
A 43-year-old Swiss man suspected of killing a 22-year-old Italian woman at a rave in Aarau has remained silent in custody, citing psychological problems.
Suspect silent after deadly Aarau rave attack
A 43-year-old Swiss man suspected of opening fire at an annual rave in Aarau has not spoken to investigators since his arrest and is suffering from "psychological problems", prosecutors said on Tuesday, RTÉ News reports.
The shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning as the event at the Aarau racecourse, in the northern canton of Aargau, was winding down. A 22-year-old Italian woman was killed and five others — four Swiss men and a German woman aged between 24 and 31 — were wounded, some seriously.
The suspect handed himself in to police in Delémont, in the Jura canton, following the attack. Aargau cantonal prosecutor Christoph Ruedi told a press conference that the man had maintained his silence since his arrest on Monday.
Police found two pistols and an AK-47 assault rifle in the suspect's car. The shooter acted alone and fired approximately 40 rounds before fleeing the scene, Aargau police said.
Police chief Michael Leupold said the motive remained unclear. The suspect had no prior record with police and no known links to extremist movements, Leupold added.
The injured were taken to hospital with injuries described as "ranging from minor to serious".
Shootings are rare in Switzerland despite relatively widespread gun ownership. The rave organisers said they were "devastated" by the attack. "The insidious attack on the guests at the Aarauer Rave has broken our hearts," they wrote 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."
Source: RTÉ News