Aarau rave-shooting suspect surrenders and remains silent

A 22-year-old woman is dead and the suspected gunman is in Aargau custody. The 43-year-old man surrendered to Jura cantonal police on Monday, days after gunfire erupted near the Aarauer Rave, an annual techno event held at the Aarau racetrack.

The shooting happened before 3:00 am on Sunday, when the party was attended by about 3,500 people. Police said the woman died at the scene. Four men and one woman, all aged between 24 and 27, were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious. Swissinfo later reported that six people were injured in total and that two remained in hospital.

The victim was Italian. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni identified her as Maria Spinelli, while Italy’s foreign ministry said two other Italian nationals suffered light injuries. Embassy officials travelled to the scene and are following the inquiry with Swiss authorities.

The suspect’s surrender has moved the case from a manhunt to a formal criminal investigation led by Aargau authorities. Prosecutors have not disclosed a possible motive, and officials have not said whether the suspect knew any of the victims.

The suspect gave investigators almost nothing in his first interview. Christoph Rüedi, the lead prosecutor, said the man refused to make a statement after Aargau police took custody of him. He did provide his personal details.

Swissinfo reported that officers on duty in Jura had already identified the vehicle believed to have been used in the offence. The man turned himself in there, and police transferred him to Aargau for the investigation. At the scene, he reportedly said he had not been feeling well for some time.

Authorities now believe the suspect may have a mental health condition. Police and prosecutors have used cautious language, and no diagnosis or clinical assessment has been made public. The reported psychological problems do not establish a motive or determine criminal responsibility. Those issues will depend on the evidence and any expert assessment ordered by the authorities.

Investigators must establish the sequence of events, determine which weapon was used, and clarify how the firearms were obtained and stored. Police said they found two pistols and an AK-47 assault rifle in the car. The discovery gives the inquiry a significant line of evidence, but officials have released no details about the weapons’ ownership, registration or forensic links to the shooting.

Three firearms were found in the suspect’s car, adding a weapons trail to the inquiry. Police told journalists that officers recovered two pistols and an AK-47 assault rifle after identifying the vehicle linked to the shooting.

The findings will allow forensic teams to compare ammunition, bullet fragments and other traces with evidence collected at the racetrack. Authorities have not said whether any of the three weapons was fired, whether they were legally held, or how long they had been in the vehicle. Those details remain central to the investigation.

The shooting took place at a large public gathering that ran from Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning. The Aarauer Rave has a long-running place in the region’s event calendar, bringing thousands of people to the racetrack for electronic music. The incident has placed renewed attention on security arrangements at major open-air and racetrack events, including access controls, emergency routes and coordination between organisers and police.

Officials have not announced changes to future events or described any broader threat to the public. The available evidence concerns one suspected attacker, one vehicle and a specific incident near the Aarau venue. Aargau police continue to appeal for information from witnesses who were present when the shots were fired.