Police conference expected shortly from Solingen; Post conference it’s all a bit vague

Update press conference report; It’s all a bit vague.

The Central Office for the Prosecution of Terrorism is leading the investigation, he is the head. It is about triple murder and eight counts of assault. A terrorist motive could NOT be ruled out. The 15-year-old is said to have spoken about details that indicate an intention to commit the crime. But he is probably not accused of the act itself.

A witness reports that she overheard a conversation before the crime, which could have been about the crime.

The police cannot yet confirm the discovery of a specific murder weapon.

For the public prosecutor’s office, it is not enough to make the 15-year-old a suspect in the crime. And it is not yet known whether he has spoken to the perpetrator. Markus Caspers: “We can only give out a description of the perpetrator if we have one!”

The basis for not ruling out a terrorist motive is the initial suspicion, according to Markus Caspers. There is currently no other meaningful explanation. Two witnesses overheard a conversation before the crime and reported to the police after the crime.

In view of several thousand visitors at the “Festival of Diversity” and the hustle and bustle, it was not possible to prevent an escape.

Why are the police and the public prosecutor’s office so restrictive with the description of the perpetrator in the face of many witnesses? This was asked by a journalist of the “Bild”. The answer: It doesn’t all fit together yet, there is no “core description” yet. Nothing would be more harmful than giving out a wrong description.

News from Germany after the three murders by a man with a knife (described by the German authorities as a terror attack) at a festival in Solingen in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The perpetrator aimed specifically for the throats of his victims, the police added. They could not provide further details or a motive. But the attack was being treated by officials as terror, German media reported.

Three people, a woman and two men died, five more are very seriously injured and others less seriously.

Looking through the German newspapers there is a report that the weapon has been found. This is Bild

According to BILD information, investigators were able to secure the knife about 200 meters from the scene of the crime in the afternoon.

And acccording to Solinger Tageblatt 

Solingen. Update 2:10 p.m.: With a current statement, the police comment on the status of the investigations after the knife attack in Solingen: “As part of the manhunt, a person was arrested, who is being checked whether there may be a connection to the crime. In parallel, various police measures are underway, including searches at various locations. The investigation and search measures for possible further perpetrators and crime backgrounds are in full swing.”

The police have now also set up a tip line for relevant information on 0800 9009000.

At 3 p.m., the police will inform about the status of the investigations in a press conference. We will keep you up to date here in this live ticker.

Bild has a brief description of the wanted man which only the Times, among English newpaprers is repeating (frightened by the trouble after the Southport murders I suspect)

According to Bild, witnesses described the attacker as being a young man of Arab appearance.

There is a little more than that doing the rounds in Solingen as it was possible to discount the young man arrested as not being the knifeman because he was younger and didn’t fit the description. And that he was arrested because somebody recognised the suspect and knew this younger man was an associate.

Arrested not the perpetrator