Three men were seriously injured at the Zurich Islamic Centre, when a man stormed in and opened fire on people praying. According to witnesses, the man was around 30 years old and wore dark clothing and a dark wool cap; he entered the centre, which is used as a mosque, shortly after 5.30pm (local time) and after opening fire, left the scene.
The centre is registered as an association enabling Muslims to practise their religion, particularly through instruction on Islamic beliefs and teachings, as well as providing for the preservation of Islamic cultural values and scientific seminars. It is often used by Somali migrants, who have never experienced problems as members of the broader Swiss community, which may be a predominantly Christian one (two thirds of the 8.3 million Swiss population identify as Christian), though Muslims account for 5 per cent of the population.
