An Arab-looking knifeman has left several people dead after stabbing random passersby in the neck in a horrific 'terror attack' at a diversity festival in Germany.
Three people died and four were left seriously injured after the knife attack, with armed police swarming the streets of Solingen.
Cops have launched a desperate manhunt for the killer who committed the 'brutal and senseless' strike at 9.45pm before fleeing - leaving a woman and two men from Solingen and nearby Dusseldorf dead.
The usually quiet Fronhof central square was packed for the three-day Festival of Diversity, but the upbeat atmosphere swiftly turned to terror when those gathered close to the stage reeled as a man randomly began stabbing attendees in the neck with a knife.
No arrests have been made as of yet, with the suspect said to be on the run and a situation centre set up in Café Kersting following the savage rampage. Police said they have no idea what the attacker looks like but warned of future danger.
Eerie photos from the scene show officers and emergency services standing solemnly in the darkness, surrounded by blue flashing lights with a helicopter circling above.
Police and ambulances near the scene where people were killed and injured in an attack on Friday at a festival in Solingen, western Germany
Cordons have cropped up all over the city, with officers on patrol
It was not immediately clear how many casualties there were
Special forces units from all over North Rhine-Westphalia are on their way to Solingen
Eerie photos from the scene show officers and emergency services standing solemnly in the darkness, surrounded by blue flashing lights
Emergency services near the scene where people were killed and injured in an attack
Around 40 emergency service vehicles flooded to the scene of the horrific attack
The dark scenes in the city late at night following the tragedy
Germany's armed special police officers have been deployed to assist at the scene
During a lively performance by the Solingen world star DJ Topic, one of the organisers came on stage to call off the event and told the crowd to vacate the area.
Local media spoke to one eyewitness, who said it was during singer Suzan Köcher's set when he saw a person 'fall over just a meter away'.
Lars Breitzke thought they were just drunk but - noting the expression of shock on the singer's face - he turned and saw several others on the floor amid 'pools of blood'.
Police are said to be classifying it as a terrorist attack, according to Bild. Germany's armed special police officers have been deployed to assist at the scene.
Police spokesperson Alexander Kresta said: 'We would like to have a precise description of the perpetrator. That is difficult. Witnesses are in shock or can't speak at the moment.
'We assume [it is] a single offender. He's on the run. He killed three people at the city festival and seriously injured at least four. So we can't say that he's not dangerous.
'But is he still on the run and looking for more victims? That would all be speculation. But of course I can't say with one hundred per cent certainty that there is no danger from this person. That's why we still advise caution.'
Solingen is also known as the 'City of Blades', as it has long been renowned for the manufacturing of fine swords, knives, scissors and razors made by famous firms.
The tragedy comes amid a heated political debate about rising knife violence in German cities.
Chief Inspector Sascha Kresta from the Wuppertal police told the local newspaper: 'The attacker stabbed people at random with a knife. There are currently three fatally injured victims, four seriously injured and people in shock.
Interior minister of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia Herbert Reul visits after the attack
The scenes late on Friday night following a devastating attack which saw several killed
A local reporter described the scenes as 'spooky' and said the party atmosphere turned to shock within minutes as festival goers began crying
Police officers gathered at the scene in the German city following Friday night's horror
German special police forces work at the scene of the festival stabbing
'A large-scale search for the attacker is underway, and we absolutely want to arrest the perpetrator. But investigations, forensic evidence and witness interviews are also ongoing at the same time.'
The local Solinger Tagblatt newspaper reported that authorities told people to leave central Solingen and nine people are fighting for their lives.
Bjorn Boch, the deputy editor-in-chief, said: 'People were running away from the scene. Many were very calm so we didn't have to panic but it was shocking and everybody who had to see that... I can't imagine what that was like.'
He said the city was 'packed with people' as thousands arrived for Friday's event.
Around 40 emergency service vehicles flooded to the scene of the horrific attack.
Special forces units from all over North Rhine-Westphalia rushed to Solingen to help.
It is understood that road crossings have been closed and residents are being asked to stay in their homes.
Photos from the scene show police officers with guns are patrolling the streets.
A local reporter described the scenes as 'spooky' and said the party atmosphere turned to shock within minutes as festivalgoers began crying.
Philipp Müller, the festival organiser, said: 'People left the square in shock, but peacefully.'
Interior Minister Herbert Reul visited the crime scene at 1.20am and said: 'Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness'
Emergency vehicles near the scene where people were killed and injured in the attack
Police officers secured the area of an incident, after several individuals were killed
Police and ambulances stand near the scene where a several people died in an attack
Police officers work after a man randomly stabbed people at a festival
State Premier Hendrik Wüst said north Rhine-Westphalia 'is united in shock and grief' in these 'dark hours'.
He said: 'An act of brutal and senseless violence has struck our state to the heart,' according to The Telegraph.
Interior Minister Herbert Reul visited the crime scene at 1.20am and said: 'Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness. We all wanted to celebrate our city anniversary together and now we have to mourn the dead and injured.
'[It] breaks my heart that there was an assassination attack on our town. [There are] tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives.
'Also to all the people who had to witness this, I have my great sympathies, they must have been terrible pictures. I thank all the emergency and security forces for their service.'
Mayor Tim Kurzbach said on social media: 'This evening we are all in shock, horror and great sadness in Solingen.
'We all wanted to celebrate our city's anniversary together and now we have dead and injured people to mourn.
'It breaks my heart that there was an attack on our city. I have tears in my eyes when I think of those we have lost. I pray for all those who are still fighting for their lives.'
German politician Serap Güler posted on social media: 'What happened in Solingen was terrible and horrible.
'I hope above all that the injured victims of this terrible attack survive and that their families have a lot of strength.
Road crossings have been closed and residents are being asked to stay in their homes
Police officers stand guard on Friday night after a knife attack in Solingen
The dark scenes in Solingen on Friday after a festival was cancelled following an attack
The city was celebrating its 650th anniversary
Solingen has around 160,000 inhabitants and is located near the city of Duesseldorf
An ambulance and police stand near the scene on Friday night
'Hopefully the perpetrator will be caught quickly. Our thoughts are with everyone who is on the scene.'
The 'Festival of Diversity,' marking the city's 650th anniversary, began on Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with 80,000 people expected.
The festival was officially opened at around 7pm by Solingen's mayor Tim Kurzbach.
Presenter Panagiota Petridou, a native of Solingen, was supposed to lead the evening, and her management confirmed she is safe.
Several stages were erected in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics.
Solingen has around 160,000 inhabitants and is located near the bigger cities of Cologne and Dusseldorf.
Germany's top security official, interior minister Nancy Faeser, recently proposed toughening weapons laws to allow only knives with a blade measuring up to 6cm (nearly 2.4in) to be carried in public, rather than the length of 12cm (4.7in), which is allowed now.
The country has seen a series of knife attacks over the past 12 months.
A police officer was killed and five people were wounded in a knife attack in the city of Mannheim in late May.
A policeman was stabbed to death and several other people were injured by an Afghan knifeman at an anti-Islam rally in Mannheim (knife circled in red)
The Afghan knifeman, Sulaiman Ateee, who immigrated to Germany in 2014, is seen launching a fatal knife attack on police and anti-Islam protesters
BREAKING NEWSGermany terror attack: Police arrest second suspect after raiding refugee shelter in Solingen as ISIS claims responsibility for knifeman rampage which killed three people
German police have made a second arrest in their investigation into a knife attack at a diversity festival in Germany which killed three people on Friday.
The arrest followed a police operation at a home for refugees in Solingen, a spokesperson said. They could not provide any more details on the individual or the connection to the incident.
ISIS has claimed responsibility the deadly attack in Solingen, western Germany, where a knifeman, who is still on the run, fatally stabbed two men, aged 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old woman and injured eight others.
'The perpetrator of the attack on a gathering of Christians in the city of Solingen in Germany yesterday was a soldier of the Islamic State' group, said a statement from the jihadists' Amaq news agency on the Telegram messaging app.
It was confirmed in a police press conference this afternoon that the attacks were 'very targeted' at people's throats and necks.
Police have launched a manhunt for the killer, while a 15-year-old boy is also being quizzed over claims he knew about the attack hours before, but failed to report it.
According to local media, two witnesses claimed to have seen the teen speaking to the attacker before he unleashed his rampage, and said that they heard him say: 'I'm going to stab everyone'.
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