One dead and several hurt in Switzerland rave shooting as police launch manhunt for attacker

Police say one person has died and five are wounded after a shooting at a rave party in Aarau in northern Switzerland. The shooting happened shortly after 2.30am on Sunday at a horse racing track in Schachen, on the edge of the town, where a rave was being held. Police said a manhunt for the shooter was underway. Police wrote on X that one person was killed and five injured, some seriously, after someone fired into the crowd at the end of an event in the canton's capital Aarau, 46km (29 miles) west of Zurich. The victim has been identified as a 22-year-old woman who died of her injuries at the scene. Four men and one woman, aged between 24 and 27 years old, were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe. All of the victims are residents of Switzerland, police said. They did not release their names in line with Swiss privacy rules. "Aarau: Nighttime shots at event in Schachen. Several victims. Major police operation underway. Stay away from the area. More info to follow," police said earlier in a post on X. The police have urged the public to avoid the area, and asked people to share any videos or pictures they had captured of ​the ​incident. Armed police officers patrol near the Schachen horse racing track in Aarau following a shooting during a rave event near Aarau, Switzerland (AP) The Aargau Cantonal Police said it had deployed to the scene "with a large contingent" and had begun its investigations. "The manhunt for the unknown perpetrator is underway," police said. "Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the crime are still unclear." The Aargau Cantonal Disaster Response Unit (KKE) and an army Super Puma helicopter were also deployed at the site, according to Blick. Officers, firefighters and ambulances were on the scene in large numbers. Police in Freiburg, in neighbouring Germany, also took part in search efforts for the suspect, the German news agency dpa reported. "It is not yet clear what exactly happened," media spokesperson for the Aargau Cantonal Police, Vanessa Rumpold, told the newspaper. The police can currently only confirm "several shots being fired at a large group of people." Police officers secure the area where a shooting occurred, in Aarau, northern Switzerland (AFP/Getty) Aarau's public swimming pool has been closed until further notice because of the ongoing operation, police said. “Due to the ongoing major police operation, Aarau Swimming Pool will remain closed until further notice. Visitors are requested to stay away from Aarau Schachen,” the police said in another post on X. Police officers patrol a street in downtown Aarau, Switzerland Sunday () The shots were fired on the sidelines of the "Aarauer Rave," an annual techno party that drew around 3,500 people to the Schachen racecourse between 3pm on Saturday and 2am on Sunday, according to Blick. A reader told the newspaper they had heard "repeated shots," and a video obtained by the newspaper captured the sound of multiple gunshots at 2.35am. Another witness who was present said they initially thought the noise was fireworks, before hiding under the DJ booth. Police officers secure the area behind a poster advertising a rave where a shooting occurred, in Aarau, northern (AFP/Getty) Swiss DJ Tekibo, who was performing at the rave, wrote on Instagram that “what happened at Aarauer rave is absolutely heartbreaking.” “Techno and raves are supposed to be a place for freedom and safety, never a place where something like this happens,” he added. Statement post by Swiss DJ Tekibo who was performing at the rave (Instagram/Tekibo.DJ) Switzerland has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Europe, with around 27 firearms for every 100 residents, behind only a small group of countries such as Finland, Austria and Norway. Despite this, violent shootings remain rare. Much of the country’s gun culture stems from its militia-based military system, under which many men complete compulsory service, and a significant share of households have firearms linked to military or shooting club participation, although rules on keeping service weapons at home have been tightened over time. In 2019, Swiss voters approved tighter gun control rules in a referendum, aligning the country’s firearms laws more closely with those of the European Union.