Top News

One person was killed and five others injured after shots were fired at an event in northern Switzerland overnight, BBC reported, citing local police.

Aargau Cantonal Police said the perpetrator or perpetrators remained unidentified and a manhunt was underway.

“The manhunt for the unknown perpetrator is under way,” Aargau Cantonal Police said in a statement. “Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the crime are still unclear.”

Shooting near horse racing track

The shooting took place near a horse racing track in Schachen, Aarau, about 46 kilometres west of Zurich, BBC reported.

A rave was scheduled in the area into the early hours of Sunday. Swiss newspaper Blick reported that the shots were fired before 3 am on the sidelines of the Aarauer Rave.

Blick quoted police spokesperson Vanessa Rumpold as saying that the shooting took place at the racecourse where the event was being held. “Several shots were fired within a large group of people,” she said.

One witness reported hearing “bursts of gunfire”.

According to a report by The Guardian, about 3,500 people attended the annual techno event between 3 pm on Saturday and 2 am on Sunday.

Police Launch Operation After Shooting

Police launched a large-scale response following the shooting.

An area around the racing track, the town's swimming pool and a sports field has been cordoned off, while authorities urged members of the public to stay away, the BBC report said.

A large contingent of officers was also deployed beyond Aarau “as a precaution”, police said.

Authorities said the identities of those responsible, the motive and the exact circumstances of the shooting remained unclear.