Swiss police have arrested a 43-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred over the weekend at a rave in the town of Aarau. The incident resulted in the death of a 22-year-old Italian woman and injuries to five other individuals.
Authorities apprehended the suspect shortly before 1 a.m. on Monday. The shooting took place in the early hours of Sunday morning at a techno event held at a covered horse-racing track. Investigators are examining the exact circumstances, background, and motive behind the incident, operating under the assumption that a single perpetrator was involved.
Police initially stated on Sunday that they were considering three possible motives: a mass killing, an act of terrorism, or an unknown criminal motive. The woman who died has been identified by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as Maria Spinelli. Ms. Spinelli had reportedly moved to Switzerland approximately one month prior to the incident to work as a waitress.
Five other individuals—four men and one woman, aged between 24 and 27—were hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor to severe. Prime Minister Meloni confirmed that Ms. Spinelli and two others injured in the attack were Italian citizens, expressing condolences and solidarity with the victims and their families.
According to police spokesperson Bernhard Graser, "several shots" were fired within a large group of people at the Pferderennbahn Schachen Aarau. Investigators are still working to determine if the perpetrator acted alone or if multiple individuals were involved, and whether they fled by vehicle or on foot. Graser indicated that the rave was already winding down when the shooting occurred, making a terrorist attack less likely, and suggested a possible fight as an alternative motive.
Cartridges found at the scene indicated two different calibers of bullets, potentially from a pistol and an assault rifle. The Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported that the cartridges bore resemblance to those used in the Russian AK-74 assault rifle and its variants.
Approximately 3,500 people attended the techno party, which ran from Saturday afternoon until early Sunday morning. Some attendees initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks before fleeing the venue. Others reportedly hid. An army helicopter, along with police, rescue workers, and medical teams, were deployed to the scene in Aarau, the capital of the Aargau canton. Armed officers were also present on highways in the vicinity.
The Aargau Racing Club, where the event was held, issued a statement expressing sympathy to those affected and assuring that investigations were proceeding with care. Shootings are relatively uncommon in Switzerland, despite widespread gun ownership, although gun laws have been tightened in recent years. The country's last major mass shooting occurred in 2001 in the canton of Zug.