A 43‑year‑old Swiss man was arrested after a shooting at a techno rave at the Schachen horse‑racing track in Aarau. The unsanctioned incident, which began at around 02:30 local time, killed 22‑year‑old Italian Maria Spinelli and left five others wounded.
The local police launched a 24‑hour manhunt that concluded with the suspect’s apprehension shortly before 01:00 on Monday. Authorities say the perpetrator appears to have acted alone, but the motive remains unclear.
“The investigation into the exact sequence of events, the background and the possible motive is currently under way,” said the Aarau cantonal police in a statement.
An eyewitness told a local outlet that he first heard shots after the music stopped, mistaking them for fireworks. He was then instructed to hide by a man and a woman – the latter of whom was also shot.
The organisers had expected 3,500 people to attend. The incident has drawn international attention, prompting Italy’s foreign ministry to send officials to Zurich to closely follow the investigation.
Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, but firearms violence is relatively rare. The last major shooting occurred in 2001 when a gunman killed 14 members of the parliament and local government of Zug.
