Three people have been killed and another four seriously injured in a knife attack in the western German city of Solingen (Zuligen).
Police say the attack happened during a festival in the city centre yesterday evening, and the attacker is reported to be still at large.
Bild website says a man randomly stabbed passers-by.
A manhunt is now under way, with police helicopters seen hovering above the city.
The industrial city was celebrating 650 years since it was founded.
The city authorities asked people to leave the Fronhof market area, and police are imposing security cordons following the attack.
Philipp Müller, one of the festival organisers, said the emergency crews were fighting for the lives of nine people, and people were shocked but left the square peacefully.
Eyewitness Lars Breitzke told the newspaper that he knew something was wrong when he saw a singer on stage with a strange expression on their face.
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