News / EU

Chainsaw attack leaves five injured in Switzerland

Monday, 24 July 2017 2:13 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 24 July 2017 2:53 PM ]

Swiss policemen stand guard behind a police cordon in the old quarter of Schaffhausen, northern Switzerland, on July 24, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

A man reportedly armed with a chainsaw has injured at least five people in a northern Swiss town, sparking a massive manhunt following the attack.

Police said the incident took place at 10:39 a.m. (0839 GMT) on Monday, when a chainsaw-wielding man entered an office building on a shopping street in the center of the Swiss town of Schaffhausen.

Security forces cordoned off the street, evacuating businesses and pedestrians. Ambulances were also seen rushing to the area to treat the injured, according to witnesses.

Swiss police officers seal off the scene of an attack in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, on July 24, 2017. (Photo by Reuters)

"For now, there are five people injured ... two seriously and three lightly," said Schaffhausen police spokeswoman Cindy Beer, adding that all the victims had been hospitalized.

Local police said the suspect was 190 centimeter tall and bald with an unkempt appearance, adding that the attacker was on the run in a Volkswagen vehicle with Swiss license plates.