Woman, 22, shot dead at rave in Switzerland pictured

Lizzie McAllister | Deputy News Editor Published August 31, 2026 10:48am Updated August 31, 2026 10:49am Maria Spinelli, 22, was killed during the shooting (Picture: Newsflash/NX) An Italian woman who died in a shooting at a Swiss rave has been pictured for the first time. Maria Spinelli, 22, was killed when a gunman opened fire at a crowd at the Aarauer Rave in Aarau, near Zurich, in the early hours of Sunday morning. Maria, who worked as a waitress, had recently moved from Città Sant’Angelo in Italy to nearby Oftringen. The mayor of Città Sant’Angelo, Matteo Perazzetti, said: ‘She had left for Switzerland, carrying with the dreams and hopes of a girl who wanted to conquer her future. ‘That life, still to be lived, was tragically taken from her.’ Maria had recently relocated from Italy to Switzerland (Picture: Newsflash/NX) Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. The mayor of Città Sant’Angelo said Maria’s life was ‘tragically taken from her’ (Picture: Newsflash/NX) Mr Perazzetti added that he had spoken to the Spinelli family and expressed his ‘deepest condolences’. He continued: ‘Città Sant’Angelo stands with the Spinelli family and mourns the loss of their young daughter. ‘Goodbye, Maria. A young angel flies to heaven.’ Five others were injured in the attack, some seriously. Police in Switzerland are now searching for the gunman or gunmen. On Sunday, a cordon was put in place around a horse racing track where the shooting took place. ‘The manhunt for the unknown perpetrator is under way,’ Aargau Cantonal Police said in a statement yesterday. Police are searching for the perpetrator or perpetrators (Picture: EPA) The shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning (Picture: EPA) ‘Possible motives as well as the exact circumstances of the crime are still unclear.’ Vanessa Rumpold, media spokesperson for the Aargau Cantonal Police, said in a statement on Sunday that ‘several shots were fired within a large group of people.’ ‘It is not yet clear what exactly happened,’ she added. Maria’s family have been informed of her death (Picture: Newsflash/NX) Swiss news outlet Blick said there was a large police presence at the scene of the shooting on Sunday morning. Witnesses told the outlet they heard ‘repeated gunfire’ shortly after 2.30am local time. One reader told the publication her friend, who was at the event, hid under the DJ booth when they heard shots ring out. Another initially thought the loud banging noises were fireworks. Arrow MORE: Newborn baby girl dies with seven arrested for murder in Sheffield flat Arrow MORE: Body of man found next to critically injured child in attack at family home Arrow MORE: British woman killed in stabbing attack at Germany railway station Breaking News Never miss the biggest stories with breaking news alerts in your inbox.