Herbert Reul, the interior minister for North Rhine-Westphalia, confirmed the arrest on ARD public TV late Saturday, stating, “The man we’ve really been looking for the whole day has just been taken into custody.”
Details were sparse, but reports from Bild and Spiegel indicate that the suspect, clad in bloodstained clothing, surrendered himself to the authorities.
The victims, including two men aged 56 and 67 and a 56-year-old woman, were fatally stabbed during a local festival, an incident described by Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a “horrific act.”
Reul added that evidence had been discovered linking the suspect to the crime and identified him as the primary suspect.
The state interior ministry confirmed that the suspect had voluntarily turned himself in.
This arrest was the third related to the attack, which has deeply shocked Germany.
Earlier, police detained an individual at a refugee centre near the scene of the attack.
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Bild reported that special task force officers raided the centre, located approximately 300 meters from Fronhof, Solingen’s central market square.
This occurred a few hours after a 15-year-old boy was detained; though not the main suspect, he was alleged to know about the attack.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the assault on Saturday but provided no immediate evidence or details about the suspect’s affiliation.
The attacker reportedly targeted passers-by randomly during the festival celebrating Solingen’s 650th anniversary.
Police described the aftermath as “very hectic,” complicating the search for the perpetrator, who specifically targeted victims’ throats and necks.
The remaining festivities, which were expected to attract around 75,000 people, have been cancelled.
Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach expressed profound grief, saying, “All of us in Solingen are in shock, horror and great sadness. It breaks my heart that an attack has happened in our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we’ve lost. I pray for all those still fighting for their lives.”
“Also, my greatest sympathy for all those who had to experience this; these images must have been horrific,” He added.
Police are currently guarding the entrance to Fronhof.
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