Fatal shooting at Aarau rave
A shooting at an overnight rave party in Aarau, northern Switzerland, has left one person dead and five others wounded, some seriously, according to local police. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday at the annual Aarauer Rave, a techno event held at the local racecourse.
Cantonal police wrote on X that one person was killed and five injured by a shooting at an event in Aarau, the capital of Aargau canton, about 46 kilometers (29 miles) west of Zurich. Swiss public broadcaster SRF reported that the event was a rave.
Police said the search for the perpetrators, whose identities are currently unknown, is under way, adding that the motives and exact circumstances were not yet known. A large-scale police operation was launched after the incident, and locals were asked to stay away from the area.
Details of the incident
Swiss newspaper Blick reported that shots were fired before 3am (01:00 GMT) on the sidelines of the Aarauer Rave. Witnesses told Blick that shots were fired at about 2:30am while the rave was still ongoing and that many people took refuge in a nearby gymnasium. Partygoers at first thought the shots were fireworks, according to witnesses.
Police spokeswoman Vanessa Rumpold told Blick that the shooting happened at the racecourse where the event was held. "Several shots were fired within a large group of people," she said. One witness reported bursts of gunfire, according to the newspaper.
About 3,500 people attended the annual techno party between 3pm on Saturday and 2am on Sunday, according to police.
Police response and investigation
Police said large areas of Aarau have been cordoned off and that they have increased their presence beyond the town as a precaution. They appealed to the public for any film or pictures of the incident. Blick published video footage, taken from an elevated position, which it said had come from a reader showing a night-time street scene with the sound of several shots being fired.
An AFP journalist saw armed officers deployed on the highway up to 30km from the site of the shooting. Media reports said an army helicopter was deployed in the cantonal capital, along with numerous police officers, rescue workers, and medical teams. A local resident in Aarau posted a video on social media showing deserted streets and what sounded like several gunshots in the background.
The shooting has drawn attention to Switzerland's gun laws, as the country has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, although violent shootings are rare. Switzerland approved tighter gun control rules in 2019.