Large-scale police operation

Knife-wielding man injures three children in Zurich

Symbolic image

(Bild: U. J. Alexander - stock.adobe.co)

In Zurich, a 23-year-old man injured three children with a knife near an after-school care center. A five-year-old boy suffered serious injuries.

According to the police, the incident occurred when an employee was on her way from a kindergarten to the day-care center with several children. The nursery worker - with the help of a passer-by - overpowered the attacker. The two held him until the emergency services arrived.

The suspect is said to be a Chinese national. No information is yet available on the motive. It is also unknown what connection the arrested man has with the children or the day care center.

The public prosecutor's office is investigating
"There is no longer any danger to the public," the police said. The three injured were given medical treatment at the scene and then taken to hospital by the ambulance service. The other two injured children are also five-year-olds. Specialists from the Zurich Forensic Institute and the Institute of Forensic Medicine have been called in to secure evidence. The Zurich cantonal police and the responsible public prosecutor's office are now continuing the investigation.

The police were alerted to the attack on Bernina Street in Zurich shortly after 12.00 noon. Photos showed numerous police vehicles. Armed police officers were on duty. Bernina Street in a district around five kilometers north of Lake Zurich was cordoned off over a large area. A woman told the online portal "20 Minuten" that the police were leading parents into the building. The police had set up a hotline for relatives.