List of mass shootings in Switzerland

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This is a list of mass shootings, which includes incidents where four or more people were killed OR injured using firearms. For incidents in Switzerland that involve four or more killed and may or may not be committed using firearms, see List of massacres in Switzerland.

This article is a list of mass shootings in Switzerland. Mass shootings are incidents of firearm-related violence that result in at least four people being killed or injured. The data in this article includes the death of perpetrators, including suicides or the killing of the perpetrator by police. Inclusion of perpetrator casualties and injured victims is at variance to some but not all definitions of mass shooting. The vast majority of mass shootings in Switzerland that are noted in this article are familicides, not public mass shootings. Despite its high rates of gun ownership and liberal firearms laws, Switzerland has been noted to have low rates of gun-related crime.[1][2][3]

20th century[edit]

Date Location Canton Dead Injured Total Description
28 August 1905 Commugny Canton of Vaud 3 1[a] 4 Commugny familicide: A man shot and killed three family members with a rifle before attempting suicide.[4]
21 December 1909 Hellbühl Canton of Lucerne 4 0 4 A man shot and killed a couple and their two farmhands. The perpetrator then tried unsuccessfully to set the house on fire, while seven children and three adults were still inside. The gunman was later sentenced to death and executed.[5][6]
30 August 1912 Romanshorn Canton of Thurgau 7 7[a] 14 Romanshorn shooting: A man fired into the street from the window of his apartment, killing six people and wounding six. After a siege, the gunman fled into the forest, where he killed another person before being wounded and arrested.[7]
14 November 1913 Territet Canton of Vaud 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members with a revolver before killing himself.[8]
6 February 1922 Lumino Canton of Ticino 6[a] 8 14 A man killed five people and wounded eight others in a shooting spree. The gunman killed himself.[9][10]
23 March 1927 Zürich Canton of Zürich 5[a] 1 6 After his wife petitioned for divorce, a man killed four family members and wounded another before committing suicide.[11]
9 November 1932 Geneva Canton of Geneva 13 65 78 November 1932 Geneva shooting: Swiss Army soldiers fired into a crowd of protesters, killing thirteen and wounding sixty-five.[12]
26 April 1943 Zürich Canton of Zürich 7[a] 0 7 A man killed six family members and himself.[13][14]
17 June 1962 Fideris Canton of Grisons 4[a] 0 4 A mentally ill man fatally shot three people at random before later killing himself.[15]
20 December 1965 Emmental Canton of Bern 2[a] 6 8 A man shot and wounded seven neighbors before killing himself.[16] One of the neighbors later died of his wounds.[17]
24 May 1967 Rüti Canton of Zürich 3 1[a] 4 A man killed his son and two other people before attempting suicide.[18]
4 May 1968 Sankt Josef Nidwalden 0 5 5 A man shot and wounded five people at random, including a pregnant woman, two of her children and a married couple.[19]
18 February 1969 Kloten Canton of Zürich 2[a] 6 8 El Al Flight 432 attack: Four terrorists shot and killed one person and wounded six others aboard an El Al flight. One perpetrator was killed by a security agent.[20]
21 April 1969 Zürich Canton of Zürich 2 2 4 A gardener at a tuberculosis sanitarium killed two employees and wounded two others with a pistol before surrendering to police.[21]
June 1976 Seewen Canton of Solothurn 5 0 5 Seewen murder case: Five family members were killed at their home.[22]
12 January 1977 Forel Canton of Vaud 5[a] 1 6 A man shot his wife, his three children, and his girlfriend before killing himself. His wife was the only survivor.[23]
18 January 1981 Castaneda Canton of Grisons 2[a] 3 5 A heavily armed gunman shot and killed one person and wounded three others before killing himself following a police search.[24]
3 October 1983 Geneva Canton of Geneva 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members with a pistol before killing himself.[25]
25 February 1985 Cortaillod Canton of Neuchâtel 0 6[a] 6 A man shot and wounded five co-workers at his workplace before attempting suicide.[26]
16 April 1986 Zürich Canton of Zürich 4 1 5 1986 Zürich shooting: A man killed four colleagues and wounded a fifth at his workplace.[27] The perpetrator was sentenced to 20 years in prison and was paroled on good behavior after serving 14 years in 2000.[28] He died in 2015 in a bicycle accident.[29]
27 November 1988 Geneva Canton of Geneva 1[a] 4 5 A man shot and wounded four people with a pistol at two locations before killing himself.[30]
20 June 1990 Zürich Canton of Zürich 0 4[a] 4 A thief, two police officers, and an uninvolved person were shot and wounded during a gunfight between the thief and police at Zürich Hauptbahnhof.[31]
30 August 1990 Rickenbach/Zürich Canton of Thurgau/Canton of Zürich 6[a] 4 10 A man killed his family in Rickenbach before traveling to Zürich and shooting six people, two fatally. He fled the scene and later killed himself in Gossau.[32][33]
19 May 1991 Val-d'Illiez Canton of Valais 6[a] 0 6 A 42-year-old man shot to death all five members of his family before killing himself in an Alpine cottage.[34][35]
4 March 1992 Lugano District Canton of Ticino 6 6 12 Rivera massacre: A man opened fire at multiple homes, killing six and wounding six others before being arrested.[36]
19 March 1992 Muttenz Basel-Landschaft 3 2[a] 5 A man shot at his ex-girlfriend and her family members, killing three and wounding one, before attempting suicide.[37]
14 February 1993 Eriswil Canton of Bern 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members inside a farmhouse before killing himself.[38]
27 February 1993 Bern Canton of Bern 4[a] 0 4 A man opened fire at his workplace, killing three people (including two family members) before killing himself.[27]
17 March 1993 Sementina Canton of Ticino 4[a] 0 4 A man fatally shot his wife and two children before killing himself.[39]
24 June 1993 Bern Canton of Bern 1 7 8 As Kurds attacked a Turkish embassy, guards opened fire, killing one demonstrator and wounding seven other people, including six Kurds and a city police officer.[40]
2 July 1994 Lucerne Canton of Lucerne 2[a] 4 6 A man fired two shots from a shotgun at his ex-wife during a celebration at a women's shelter, killing his wife and wounding four other women. The shooter killed himself with a third shot.[41]
5 October 1994 Cheiry Canton of Fribourg 21[a] 0 21 Cheiry massacre: Twenty-one members of a cult were shot and killed during a mass murder-suicide.[42]
28 November 1994 St. Gallen Canton of St. Gallen 1 4 5 A man opened fire at his workplace, killing one person and wounding four.[27]
10 September 1995 Winterthur Canton of Zürich 1 3 4 Four people were shot, one fatally, when an Albanian man shot at other Albanian immigrants in a club.[43]
6 August 1996 Schaffhausen Canton of Schaffhausen 1[a] 3 4 A man shot and wounded three people in a domestic dispute before killing himself.[44]
3 February 1997 Frauenfeld Canton of Thurgau 0 4 4 Four people were shot in a gunfight outside a brothel.[45]
27 July 1998 Bern Canton of Bern 4 0 4 Four men were found shot dead at a tea room.[46]
24 May 1999 Seftigen/Thun Canton of Bern 1 3[a] 4 A man shot and wounded two relatives in Seftigen before traveling to Thun and fatally shooting his wife. He attempted suicide along the A6 motorway.[47]

21st century[edit]

Date Location Canton Dead Injured Total Description
September 2001 Au Canton of Zürich 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed his wife and two children before killing himself.[48]
27 September 2001 Zug Canton of Zug 15[a] 18 33 Zug massacre: A man entered the Parliament of the Canton of Zug and shot thirty-two people, killing fourteen. The shooter killed himself.[49]
8 November 2001 Melano Republic and Canton of Ticino 4[a] 0 4 A bank employee shot and killed his wife and two school-age children before killing himself.[50]
19 February 2002 Lausanne Canton of Vaud 2[a] 2 4 A man shot three people in a cinema, killing one, before killing himself.[51]
4 July 2003 Pratteln Basel-Landschaft 3 1 4 A man killed three and wounded one in a domestic dispute before fleeing.[52]
3 December 2003 Witikon Canton of Zürich 4[a] 0 4 A family of four was found dead in Witikon. All were shot, as were two dogs. According to the police investigation, the parents planned the crime because of financial problems.[53]
29 March 2004 Escholzmatt Canton of Lucerne 5[a] 0 5 A man shot and killed four people, including three family members, with a pistol, before killing himself.[54]
15 July 2004 Lenk im Simmental Canton of Bern 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members with a pistol, before killing himself.[55]
30 March 2005 Muri Canton of Aargau 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members before killing himself.[56]
30 April 2006 Les Crosets Canton of Valais 4[a] 1 5 Les Crosets shooting: A man armed with a handgun shot and killed his pregnant wife, her brother and seriously wounded her mother before killing himself.[57]
12 April 2007 Baden Canton of Aargau 1 4 5 A man entered a hotel and opened fire, killing one person and wounding four. The shooter was arrested.[58]
6 March 2009 Carouge Canton of Geneva 4[a] 0 4 A man shot and killed three family members before killing himself.[59]
2 January 2013 Daillon Canton of Valais 3 2 5 A man killed three people and wounded two before being wounded by police and arrested.[60]
27 February 2013 Menznau Canton of Lucerne 5[a] 5 10 2013 Menznau shooting: A man opened fire at his workplace, killing four people and wounding five before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.[61]
9 May 2015 Würenlingen Canton of Aargau 5[a] 0 5 A man killed four relatives before killing himself.[62]
19 December 2016 Zürich Canton of Zürich 1[a] 3 4 Zürich Islamic center shooting: A gunman wounded three people at an Islamic center before killing himself. The day before the shooting, the gunman stabbed to death a former friend.[63]
29 February 2020 Grandson Canton of Vaud 2 3 5 Two people were killed and three others were wounded after a drug trade related-shooting incident in an apartment.[64][65]
9 March 2023 Yverdon-les-Bains Canton of Vaud 5[a] 0 5 Police suspect that a man shot and killed his wife and three daughters before killing himself.[66]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an Including the perpetrator.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Calamur, Krishnadev (16 February 2018). "The Swiss Have Liberal Gun Laws, Too". The Atlantic. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  2. ^ Brueck, Hilary; Haroun, Azmi (9 June 2023). "Switzerland has a stunningly high rate of gun ownership — here's why it doesn't have mass shootings". Business Insider. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  3. ^ Kirby, Emma Jane (8 February 2013). "Switzerland guns: Living with firearms the Swiss way". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  4. ^ Bovsun, Mara (21 July 2019). "The 'Green Fairy' did it : a drunken massacre blamed on absinthe". New York Daily News. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ Estermann, Linus (13 March 2018). "Das sind die schlimmsten Verbrechen Luzerns" [These are the worst crimes in Lucerne]. zentralplus (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Die letzte Enthauptung in der Schweiz" [The last beheading in Switzerland] (PDF). Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). No. 2231. 22 October 1950. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Crazy Soldier Kills Four.; A Dozen, Besieging His House, Shoot One Another In a Night Panic". The New York Times. 1 September 1912. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Card Game After Murder". Derby Daily Telegraph. Vol. LXIII, no. 10669. 15 November 1913. p. 3. Retrieved 28 August 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Terrifying scenes". The Pall Mall Gazette. 7 February 1922. Retrieved 30 October 2022 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "Five shot dead". Auckland Star. Vol. LIII, no. 34. 9 February 1922. p. 5. Retrieved 30 October 2022 – via Papers Past.
  11. ^ "Man Shoots Family". The Daily Advertiser. 25 March 1927. p. 1. Retrieved 14 August 2023 – via Trove.
  12. ^ Perrin, Olivier (9 November 2007). "Genève, 9 novembre 1932 L'armée suisse tire sur la foule" [Geneva, 9 November 1932 The Swiss army fires on the crowd]. Le Temps (in Swiss French). Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Une tragédie à Zurich" [A tragedy in Zurich]. Journal de Genéve (in Swiss French). No. 98. 27 April 1943. p. 3. Retrieved 30 October 2022 – via Le Temps.
  14. ^ "Effroyable drame de famille à Zurich" [Appalling family tragedy in Zurich]. Gazette de Lausanne (in Swiss French). Vol. 146, no. 115. 27 April 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 30 October 2022 – via Le Temps.
  15. ^ "Der Amoklauf im Prätigau". Der Bund (in Swiss High German). 19 June 1962. p. 3. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Nachbarliche Zwistigkeiten führten zum Amoklauf". Neue Zürcher Nachrichten (in Swiss High German). 22 December 1965. p. 12. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Die Wahnsinnstat von Biembach fordert ein Todesopfer" [Biembach 's insane act claims one life]. Thuner Tagblatt (in German). 31 December 1965. p. 4. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  18. ^ "Der Amoklauf im Zürcher Oberland". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 26 May 1967. p. 18. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  19. ^ Hofstetter, Linda (7 November 2022). "Ein Amoklauf in Nidwalden: Über ein Schockereignis, das als «Unfall» abgetan wurde" [A rampage in Nidwalden: About a shock event that was dismissed as an "accident".]. Nidwaldner Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  20. ^ Ginsburg, Mitch (24 March 2014). "How to thwart a gunman at 29,000 feet, by the only pilot who ever did". Times of Israel. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Phone Call Cut; Man Slays Two Women". Omaha World-Herald. Vol. 104, no. 183. Associated Press. 22 April 1969. p. 7. Retrieved 11 June 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Meyer, Adrian; Schwegler, Gabi (13 May 2016). "Bestie von Rupperswil ist gefasst: Die schlimmsten Mörder der Schweiz" [Beast of Rupperswil is caught: The worst murderers in Switzerland]. Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  23. ^ "4 Tote bei Familiendrama" [4 killed in familicide]. Neue Zürcher Nachrichten (in Swiss High German). Vol. 72, no. 10. 13 January 1977. p. 4. Retrieved 22 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  24. ^ "Amokschütze richtet Blutbad an". Thuner Tagblatt (in German). 19 January 1981. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Familiendrama in Genf: Vier Tote" [Familicide in Geneva: Four dead]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Vol. 204, no. 231. 4 October 1983. p. 5. Retrieved 24 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  26. ^ "An einem Blutbad vorbei". Thuner Tagblatt (in German). 26 February 1985. p. 16. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  27. ^ a b c "Die schlimmsten Bluttaten: Eine Chronologie von Amokläufen in der Schweiz" [The worst acts of bloodshed: A chronology of rampages in Switzerland]. Blick (in Swiss High German). 27 January 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  28. ^ Dammann, Viktor (8 February 2016). "BLICK-Reporter Viktor Dammann erinnert sich an den Fall Tschanun: Der Mörder zeigte nur einmal Gefühle" [BLICK reporter Viktor Dammann remembers the Tschanun case: The killer showed emotions only once]. Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  29. ^ Müller, Patrik (12 April 2021). "Bericht enthüllt: Vierfachmörder Günther Tschanun war Mitglied der SP – ein SVP-Journalist zieht daraus seine Schlüsse" [Report reveals: Quadruple murderer Günther Tschanun was a member of the SP - an SVP journalist draws his conclusions from it]. Aargauer Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Gunman Kills Self". The Montgomery Advertiser. Vol. 161, no. 237. 29 November 1988. p. 12. Retrieved 12 May 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Nichts Neues zur Schiesserei im Hauptbahnhof". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 23 June 1990. p. 54. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Chronik der Amokläufer in der Schweiz" [Chronicle of the spree killers in Switzerland]. Beobachter (in Swiss High German). 8 October 2001. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  33. ^ "Hunt After Killings". Birmingham Evening Mail. 31 August 1990. p. 15. Retrieved 30 October 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Swiss Take New Look At Gun Control Laws". The Mount Airy News. Vol. 112, no. 56. Associated Press. 6 March 1992. p. 13. Retrieved 21 June 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  35. ^ "Une famille anéantie: six morts" [A family wiped out: six dead]. Le Nouvelliste (in Swiss French). Vol. 24, no. 115. 21 May 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 25 July 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  36. ^ "6 Killed as Gunman Goes Door-to-Door in 3 Swiss Villages". Los Angeles Times. 6 March 1992. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  37. ^ "Mafia in der Schweiz: Wenn alte Mordfälle wieder auftauchen" [Mafia in Switzerland: When old murder cases resurface]. swissinfo (in Swiss High German). 3 May 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  38. ^ "Eriswil: Ein Familiendrama - Vierköpfige Familie tot" [Eriswil: A familicide - Family of four dead]. Der Bund (in Swiss High German). Vol. 144, no. 38. 16 February 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 22 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  39. ^ "Nach dem Familiendrama im Tessin: Auch Sohn gestorben" [After the familicide in Ticino: Son also died]. Thuner Tagblatt (in Swiss High German). Vol. 117, no. 65. 19 March 1993. p. 32. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  40. ^ "Ein Toter und neuen Verletzte". Berner Tagwacht (in German). 25 June 1993. p. 1. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  41. ^ "Tödliche Gartenparty". Freiburger Nachrichten (in German). 4 July 1994. p. 3. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  42. ^ "1994: Cult members die in 'mass suicide'". BBC News. 5 October 1994. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Ein Toter, vier Verletzte — aber kein Schütze?". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 2 July 1997. p. 57. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  44. ^ "Familiendrama mit Todesfolge" [Family drama resulting in death]. Thuner Tagblatt (in Swiss High German). Vol. 120, no. 183. SDA. 8 August 1996. p. 20. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  45. ^ "Vier Verletzte bei Schiesserei in Frauenfeld". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). 15 January 1997. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  46. ^ "4 men gunned down in Swiss tea room". The Times. 29 July 1998. p. 7. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  47. ^ "Familiendrama in Thun: Ehefrau erschossen" [Family drama in Thun: Wife shot dead]. Thuner Tagblatt (in Swiss High German). Vol. 123, no. 119. 26 May 1999. p. 1. Retrieved 23 September 2023 – via e-newspaperarchives.ch.
  48. ^ "Schweiz: Vater tötete seine gesamte Familie" [Switzerland: Father killed his entire family]. Der Standard (in Austrian German). Associated Press. 2 October 2001. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  49. ^ "Gunman kills 14 in Swiss assembly". BBC News. 27 September 2001. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  50. ^ "Zahlreiche Familiendramen in der Schweiz" [Numerous familicides in Switzerland]. Blick (in Swiss High German). 31 May 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  51. ^ "Une garderie remplacera le cinéma porno" [Daycare center to replace porno theater]. 20 minutes (in Swiss French). 6 March 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  52. ^ "Gunman kills three, wounds one in Switzerland". Irish Examiner. 5 July 2003. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  53. ^ "Wallis: Der Kindermörder ist tot" [Wallis: The child killer is dead]. 20 Minuten (in German). 12 June 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  54. ^ "10 Jahre nach der Bluttat von Escholzmatt LU geht es den Vollwaisen wieder gut" [10 years after the bloody deed in Escholzmatt LU, the children are doing well again]. Watson (in Swiss High German). 23 March 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  55. ^ "Familiendrama in Lenk: Vater löscht Familie aus" [Familicide in Lenk: Father wipes out family]. 20 Minuten (in Swiss High German). 15 July 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  56. ^ "Familiendrama in Muri" [Familicide in Muri]. SRF (in Swiss High German). 30 March 2005. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  57. ^ "Swiss skier's husband found dead". BBC News. 4 May 2006. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  58. ^ "Gunman uses army rifle in hotel shooting". swissinfo. 13 April 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  59. ^ "Vater löste offenbar Familiendrama in Carouge aus" [Father apparently triggered familicide in Carouge]. Aargauer Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2 April 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  60. ^ "Switzerland gunman kills three in Daillon in Valais". BBC News. 3 January 2013. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  61. ^ Smith-Spark, Laura; Morgenstein, Mark (27 February 2013). "Police: 4th person dead in Switzerland factory shooting". CNN. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  62. ^ "Five killed in Switzerland shooting, shooter among dead: police". ABC News. Agence France-Presse. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
  63. ^ Cumming-Bruce, Nick; Ewing, Jack (20 December 2016). "Gunman Who Shot 3 at Zurich Islamic Center Is Found Dead, Police Say". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 December 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  64. ^ "Zweites Todesopfer nach Schiesserei in Grandson VD" [Second fatality after shooting in Grandson VD]. Nau.ch (in Swiss High German). 3 March 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  65. ^ Toulami, Frédéric Nejad (10 March 2020). "Il fait passer du savon pour du haschich, puis il flingue" [He passes soap off as hashish, then he shoots]. 20 minutes (in Swiss French). Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  66. ^ "Familienvater erschießt eigene Frau und drei Töchter" [Father of a family shoots his wife and three daughters]. Heute (in Swiss High German). 11 March 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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