Swiss police say the knife attack at Winterthur train station, which left three people injured, has been classified as a terrorist act.
Security officials identified the suspect as a 31-year-old man with dual Swiss-Turkish citizenship who lived in the city of Winterthur near Zurich. He was arrested immediately after the attack.
The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. local time.
Mario Fehr, security director of the Zurich canton, described the attack as a “horrific terrorist act” and said the rapid response by police prevented a larger tragedy.
He also praised the bravery of a female teacher who stood between the attacker and her students.
“Several courageous individuals were present there, and that teacher acted in an extraordinary way,” Fehr said.
Marius Wehrli, commander of Zurich cantonal police, stated that authorities had information about the suspect dating back to 2015.
According to him, the suspect had previously been monitored over the distribution and publication of ISIS propaganda, and investigators believe the motive should be examined within the context of extremism.
Swiss newspaper Blick published video footage showing a man leaving the station after the attack while shouting “Allahu Akbar.”
Medical officials said the three victims remain hospitalized.
One victim suffered injuries to the leg, another to the neck, and a third to the thigh.
Zurich police said one of the injured individuals required emergency surgery because of the severity of the wounds.
The attack comes as Switzerland has historically experienced fewer terrorist incidents compared with many other European countries.
