A 22-year-old woman was killed and five others injured in a shooting at a rave in Aarau, Switzerland, early Sunday, according to Aargau cantonal police. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. at the horse racing track in Aarau’s Schachen district, where the “Aarau Rave VOL. 7” event was taking place .
Police confirmed the suspect remains at large, and a large-scale manhunt is underway. Authorities cordoned off a wide area around the racecourse, swimming pool, and sports ground, urging the public to avoid the scene . A Swiss military Super Puma helicopter was deployed to assist in the operation, though its exact role was not specified .
All six victims were Swiss residents in their 20s, police said. Four men and one woman were hospitalized with injuries ranging from minor to severe . Witnesses told Swiss daily *Blick* they initially mistook the gunfire for fireworks until someone shouted, “everyone down.” The shooting occurred shortly after the rave ended, and police later moved remaining attendees to a nearby gym .
The event, advertised as a techno party at a covered racetrack, had drawn around 3,500 people, according to the organizers’ website . Police spokesperson Pascal Wenzel told Swiss public broadcaster SRF that multiple shots were fired within a large group of people .
Authorities have not disclosed possible motives or the exact circumstances of the shooting. Police in neighboring Freiburg, Germany, joined the search for the suspect, the German news agency dpa reported . Investigators called on witnesses to share any photos or videos of the incident via the cantonal police’s Instagram channel .
Aarau, the capital of the canton of Aargau, is located about 46 kilometers west of Zurich and 30 kilometers south of the German border .
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