Deadly Shooting at Swiss Rave Leaves Six Victims

A shooting at a rave in Aarau, in Switzerland’s northern canton of Aargau, left a 22-year-old woman dead and five other people injured early Sunday. The injured victims—four men and one woman between the ages of 24 and 27—were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Police said all six victims were residents of Switzerland and withheld their names under Swiss privacy rules. Authorities were alerted at about 2:30 a.m., as the “Aarau Rave VOL. 7” at a horse-racing track in the Schachen district was ending. Police said they were searching for potentially more than one suspect and mounted a major manhunt involving officers, firefighters and ambulances. Police in Freiburg, Germany, also assisted with the search. Residents were asked to stay away from the area while investigators looked for evidence and possible links to the crime. Police spokesperson Bernhard Graser said authorities had not established a motive. He said a terrorist attack appeared unlikely because the event was already winding down, while a fight remained one possible explanation. Police also said they had ruled out the possibility that the suspect or suspects posed an ongoing threat, although their whereabouts were unknown. Witnesses reportedly initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks before someone shouted for everyone to get down. Remaining rave attendees were taken to a nearby gym and questioned, and police appealed for photographs or videos from witnesses. The shooting was described by police as extraordinary and highly unusual in Switzerland, where public shootings are rare despite relatively widespread gun ownership. The Aargau Racing Club expressed sympathy for the victims and praised emergency responders. DJ Tekibo, who performed at the rave, called the incident heartbreaking and said raves should be places of freedom and safety.

A 22-year-old woman was killed and five other people were wounded in a shooting early Sunday at a rave in Aarau, northern Switzerland, according to Aargau cantonal police and Swiss broadcaster SRF. The event, called “Aarau Rave VOL. 7,” was held at a horse-racing track in the Schachen area of Aarau, the capital of Aargau canton. Police were alerted shortly after 2:30 a.m., although organizers had reportedly scheduled the event to end at 2 a.m. The woman died at the scene. The other victims—four men and another woman aged between 24 and 27—were taken to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious. All six victims were Swiss residents. Authorities had not identified the shooter or shooters, and the motive and circumstances remained unclear at the time of the report. Police cordoned off a broad area around the horse-racing track, swimming pool and nearby sports field while searching for those responsible. Police presence was also increased elsewhere in Aarau, and residents were advised to avoid the area. The response involved police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services, a cantonal disaster-response unit, the Argus police special unit and a Swiss military Super Puma helicopter. Police in neighboring Germany assisted with the search through routine cross-border cooperation. Investigators asked witnesses to provide videos or photographs from the rave and established an information line for relatives and eyewitnesses. Swiss DJ Tekibo, who performed at the event, described the shooting as “absolutely heartbreaking,” said raves should be places of freedom and safety, and mentioned the loss of an important friend. The investigation and search operation remained ongoing, with the Associated Press contributing to the report.

A shooting at a rave party in Aarau, in Switzerland’s northern canton of Aargau, left one 22-year-old woman dead and five other people injured early Sunday, according to local police and media reports. The injured victims—four men and one woman aged between 24 and 27—were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Police said all six victims were residents of Switzerland and withheld their names under the country’s privacy rules. Authorities were alerted at approximately 2:30 a.m. to the incident in Aarau, the capital of Aargau located about 46 kilometres west of Zurich. The event, identified as “Aarau Rave VOL. 7,” was reportedly being held at a horse-racing track in the city’s Schachen district. The fire department cordoned off a large area surrounding the site as emergency services responded. The perpetrator remained at large, and police said an active search was under way. In a social-media statement, authorities described the suspect as unknown and said that both the possible motive and the precise circumstances of the shooting were still unclear. Police spokesperson Pascal Wenzel provided details about the incident to Swiss public broadcaster SRF. The report does not identify a suspected motive, describe any arrests, or indicate whether the shooting was targeted or random. A Reuters photograph showed police officers near the site at a railway station in Aarau. The incident prompted an ongoing investigation and search for the person responsible.