Swiss rave shooting leaves 22-year-old woman dead and five others injured

Police are searching for the perpetrators of a shooting that occurred early Sunday at a techno gathering held in a covered horse‑racing venue in the northern Swiss town of Aarau. A 22‑year‑old woman was killed and five other people, some with serious injuries, were taken to hospitals.

The victim, an Italian national, died at the scene. All those caught in the incident were Swiss residents in their twenties. Authorities have asked anyone with footage of the event to come forward, noting that large parts of the town have been sealed off while investigators look for one or more assailants.

“We have no definite information about who is behind the attack,” said police spokesperson Bernhard Graser to Reuters. “We do not know whether a single individual or several are involved, whether they are fleeing by car or on foot.”

A 34‑year‑old witness, who requested anonymity, recounted hearing gunfire shortly after the music stopped at around 2:30 am, initially believing the sounds were fireworks. Some attendees took shelter behind the DJ booth, while another woman hid behind a refrigerator; she was struck in the back, bled out and could not be revived.

“It’s utterly tragic. She was young,” the witness said. “Something like this happening in Aarau, at a local event, is simply unimaginable. I still can’t fully process it.”

Police have reinforced their presence throughout the region, which lies roughly 50 km west of Zurich and 30 km south of the German border. Officials indicated that the shooter(s) may no longer be in the immediate vicinity, but a substantial police deployment remains in Aarau and the surrounding canton to ensure any remaining threats can be addressed.

Footage broadcast by Reuters showed heavily armed officers patrolling the streets, police convoys moving through the town, and armoured vehicles stationed near the crime scene.

The organisers of the annual rave expressed shock and grief, stating that such events are meant to bring joy and love, not violence and fear.

Switzerland maintains one of Europe’s highest rates of gun ownership, yet violent shootings remain rare. In 2019 the country enacted stricter gun‑control legislation.