Suspect turns himself in to police ‘covered in blood’ after three killed in knife rampage at German festival
A SUSPECT has turned himself in to police “covered in blood” after three people were killed in a knife rampage at a festival in Germany.
Cops said they took the person suspected of the stabbing attack into custody on Saturday night, Der Spiegel reported.
His clothes were dirty and covered in blood, according to unnamed security sources.
The knifeman approached officers shortly after 11pm, BILD alleged.
He reportedly said: “I am the one you are looking for.”
German police did not respond to calls seeking comment.
NRW Minister of the Interior Herbert Reul later confirmed the arrest.
“We have been following a hot lead all day,” he told the German public television network ARD.
“The person we have been searching for all day has been detained a short while ago.
“He is now being questioned.”
Reul added that police not only have clues but also have collected pieces of evidence.
It comes as the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the knife attack.
The militant group said in a statement on its Telegram account that the attack was carried out by one of its members.
It is currently unclear what relationship the attacker had with ISIS.
And the force also confirmed they had made a second arrest.
The arrest followed a police operation at a home for refugees in Solingen, the spokesperson added.
They said they could not provide any more details on the individual or the connection to the incident.
It comes after a 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection to the blade horror in the early hours of this morning.
Two witnesses who claim to have seen the teen speaking to the perpetrator believe the chilling warning was uttered, according to German reports.
They allegedly heard the unknown knifeman say to the 15-year-old: “Today I’m going to stab everyone.”
Investigators told a press conference that the 15-year-old had been arrested for failing to tell cops he was told of an imminent attack by the knifeman in the hours before the rampage.
Armed cops are now continuing a major hunt for the suspect with officers searching properties for evidence.
Festival-goers gathered for Solingen’s Festival of Diversity which started Friday to mark the city’s big anniversary.
But at 9.37pm the knifeman launched his savage attack at random – aiming at his victims’ necks as he went.
Three people died of their injuries with the victims confirmed to be a woman, 56, and two men aged 56 and 67.
Eight more people were injured with four of them fighting for their lives after the suspect knifed the victims as they watched live music.