One Dead, Five Injured in Shooting at Swiss Techno Event as Police Launch Manhunt

A 22-year-old Italian woman was killed and five people were injured in a shooting at an overnight techno rave in Aarau, Switzerland, prompting a large-scale nationwide manhunt for the perpetrator or perpetrators, authorities reported on Sunday. The victim was identified as Maria Spinelli, who died at the scene.

The five hospitalized victims—four men and one woman aged between 24 and 27—suffered injuries ranging from minor to severe. Italy’s foreign ministry stated that two additional Italian citizens suffered minor injuries and had already returned home, though it was not immediately clear if they were included among the five casualties reported by Swiss authorities.

The incident occurred at the Schachen horse racing track, where event organizers had anticipated up to 3,500 attendees. Reports of gunfire were first received by police around 02:30 local time, shortly after the music concluded. An eyewitness reported hearing gunshots minutes after the performance ended, initially confusing the sound with fireworks.

Swiss authorities deployed armed officers in riot gear, armored vehicles, a regional disaster response unit, and a Swiss Army helicopter to search the area and secure the town. Police cordoned off a perimeter surrounding the race course, a local sports field, and a public swimming pool, while armed officers established checkpoints on nearby highways.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, Aarau cantonal police spokesman Michael Leupold stated that officers were “still in the midst of the operation” and did not have immediate leads on the suspect or suspects. Police spokesperson Bernhard Graser said investigators could not confirm whether the perpetrator fled on foot or in a vehicle, adding that while evidence suggested the shooter “may no longer be in the area,” a heavy police force remained deployed.

Aarau is located roughly 40 to 46 kilometers west of Zurich and lies under 40 kilometers from the German border. German news agency dpa reported that police from Freiburg, Germany, were assisting Swiss forces in the search. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed confidence that Swiss officials would “shed full light on what happened and find anyone responsible,” while Italy’s foreign ministry confirmed it was dispatching officials to Zurich to monitor the case.

Background

Switzerland has one of the highest rates of civilian gun ownership in Europe, largely connected to its mandatory military service system and target shooting tradition. Despite widespread firearm availability, violent mass shootings are extremely rare in the country following the implementation of stricter gun regulations in recent years.

The incident in Aarau is one of the most significant public gun violence events in Switzerland in recent decades. The country’s last major mass shooting occurred in 2001, when a gunman killed 14 members of the regional parliament and government in Zug before killing himself.