Swiss authorities have arrested a 43-year-old Swiss man following a shooting at a techno rave in Aarau that left a 22-year-old Italian woman dead and five other people injured. The arrest on Monday concluded a nearly 24-hour manhunt across the region.
The victim, identified as Maria Spinelli, died at the scene after gunfire broke out at the Schachen horse racing track at approximately 02:30 local time on Sunday. Aarau cantonal police confirmed they apprehended the suspect shortly before 01:00 local time on Monday (23:00 GMT on Sunday). In an official statement, police noted that the investigation into the exact sequence of events, background, and motive is currently underway, adding that they currently assume the perpetrator acted alone.
Five other victims—four men and one woman aged between 24 and 27—were transported to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe. An eyewitness told local media that he suddenly heard gunshots minutes after the music had stopped, initially mistaking the noise for fireworks. He recalled being told to hide by a man and a woman, the latter of whom was subsequently shot.
The electronic music event had been expected to attract around 3,500 attendees. Aarau, a town of about 23,000 residents, is situated roughly 46 kilometers (29 miles) west of Zurich and lies less than 40 kilometers from the German border. Local media reported that German police supported Swiss forces during the search. The arrest marks a rapid breakthrough for investigators, who on Sunday afternoon had admitted they had no active leads and were uncertain if they were searching for a single shooter or multiple suspects.
The incident has drawn high-level international attention. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed confidence that Swiss authorities would "shed full light on what happened and find anyone responsible." Italy's foreign ministry announced it is sending officials to Zurich to closely monitor the progress of the investigation.
While Switzerland maintains one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Europe, violent mass shootings remain rare in the country following the introduction of tighter controls in recent years. The nation's last major mass shooting occurred in 2001, when a gunman killed 14 members of the local government and parliament in Zug before killing himself.
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