In brief
A 43‑year‑old Swiss man was taken into custody following a shooting at a techno rave held at a horse‑race track near Aarau, Switzerland. The assault killed 22‑year‑old Italian Maria Spinelli and left five others injured. Authorities launched a nearly 24‑hour manhunt after guns were fired at 02:30 local. Investigations now focus on motive and whether the perpetrator acted alone. Italian officials joined Swiss investigations and the incident sparked renewed debate over gun regulation in Switzerland.
A Swiss man has been arrested following a shooting at a techno rave that took the life of 22‑year‑old Italian Maria Spinelli.
The incident occurred on Sunday night at a horse‑racing track in Aarau, a town 46 kilometres west of Zurich. Police first heard shots at around 02:30 local time, after the music had stopped.
Spinelli was killed on the scene, while five other attendees – four men and one woman aged between 24 and 27 – were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe.
A 24‑hour manhunt followed as authorities searched for the perpetrator. The 43‑year‑old suspect was apprehended shortly before 01:00 on Monday (23:00 GMT). Police say they believe the shooter acted alone, but the exact sequence of events and potential motive are still under investigation.
Organisers had expected about 3,500 people to attend the rave, which was held on an 18‑acre race track. Aarau hosts a population of roughly 23,000, and its proximity to the German border raised concerns for cross‑border cooperation.
The tragedy has prompted political and diplomatic reactions. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged that Swiss authorities would “shed full light on what happened and find anyone responsible.” The Italian foreign ministry sent officials to Zurich to monitor the investigation.
Switzerland, known for its high rate of gun ownership, has seen relatively few violent shootings in recent years following tighter gun controls. The last major shooting was in 2001, when a gunman killed 14 members of the parliament and local government in Zug before taking his own life.
