A 22-year-old woman was killed and five other people were wounded when a gunman opened fire at a rave in Switzerland's northern Aargau canton in the early hours of Sunday morning, according to local authorities and media reports. Police confirmed they are actively hunting for the suspect.
Police confirm casualties and ongoing search
"The search for the unknown perpetrator is ongoing," police announced on X. "Possible motives and the exact circumstances of the crime remain unclear."
Regional police revealed on X that the 22-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries at the scene. Five additional victims — four men and one woman aged between 24 and 27 — were rushed to hospital with wounds ranging from minor to serious.
Incident details and police response
Police confirmed all casualties are Swiss residents, though their identities have been withheld in accordance with the country's privacy regulations. Police spokesman Pascal Wenzel informed Swiss public broadcaster SRF that officers were alerted to the shooting at approximately 2.30am in Aarau, the canton's capital located 46 kilometres (29 miles) west of Zurich.
The incident occurred during "Aarau Rave VOL. 7" at the horse racing track in the city's Schachen district, SRF reported. Emergency services established a substantial cordon around the venue. A massive police response was launched with residents urged to avoid the vicinity. Police, fire crews and paramedics descended on the scene in significant numbers.
Witness accounts and investigation
German police from neighbouring Freiburg also joined the manhunt for the gunman, according to news agency dpa. Swiss newspaper Blick reported that attendees of the rave initially confused the gunshots for fireworks until someone yelled "everyone down."
The publication noted that the shooting occurred just as the rave was concluding. Police subsequently escorted all remaining visitors to a nearby gym, according to Blick. Authorities have appealed to potential witnesses who may have captured video or photos of the incident to share them with the police.
Aarau, home to approximately 22,300 residents, is situated about 30 km (18 miles) south of the German border.
