One dead and several hurt in Switzerland rave shooting as police launch manhunt for attacker

Police say ‘several shots fired at a large group of people’ during event at horse racing track

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A major police operation is under way in Aarau in northern Switzerland after shots were fired at a rave party, with reports indicating that there are multiple people injured.

The shooting happened shortly after 2.30am on Sunday at a horse racing track in Schachen, on the edge of the town, where a rave was being held.

Police said a manhunt for the shooter was underway.

"Aarau: Nighttime shots at event in Schachen. Several victims. Major police operation underway. Stay away from the area. More info to follow," police said in a post on X.

The police have urged the public to avoid the area, and asked people to share any videos or pictures they had captured of ​the ​incident.

The Aargau Cantonal Police said it had deployed to the scene "with a large contingent" and had begun its investigations.

"The manhunt for the unknown perpetrator is underway," police said. "Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the crime are still unclear."

The Aargau Cantonal Disaster Response Unit (KKE) and an army Super Puma helicopter were also deployed at the site, according to Blick .

"It is not yet clear what exactly happened," media spokesperson for the Aargau Cantonal Police, Vanessa Rumpold, told the newspaper . The police can currently only confirm "several shots being fired at a large group of people."

Aarau's public swimming pool has been closed until further notice because of the ongoing operation, police said.

“Due to the ongoing major police operation, Aarau Swimming Pool will remain closed until further notice. Visitors are requested to stay away from Aarau Schachen,” the police said in another post on X.

The shots were fired on the sidelines of the "Aarauer Rave," an annual techno party that drew around 3,500 people to the Schachen racecourse between 3pm on Saturday and 2am on Sunday, according to Blick.

A reader told the newspaper they had heard "repeated shots," and a video obtained by the newspaper captured the sound of multiple gunshots at 2.35am. Another witness who was present said they initially thought the noise was fireworks, before hiding under the DJ booth.

It is unclear whether anyone has been apprehended in relation to the shooting.

Switzerland has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Europe, with around 27 firearms for every 100 residents, behind only a small group of countries such as Finland, Austria and Norway. Despite this, violent shootings remain rare.

Much of the country’s gun culture stems from its militia-based military system, under which many men complete compulsory service, and a significant share of households have firearms linked to military or shooting club participation, although rules on keeping service weapons at home have been tightened over time.

In 2019, Swiss voters approved tighter gun control rules in a referendum, aligning the country’s firearms laws more closely with those of the European Union.

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