Switzerland Chainsaw Attack: Five Hurt in Schaffhausen

Five people have been injured, two seriously, in an attack by a man armed with a chainsaw in the Swiss town of Schaffhausen, police say.

Central parts of the town on the German border have been sealed off, as police are searching for the attacker.

Man used chainsaw in Schaffhausen attack that left five hurt, incident not an "act of terror" - Swiss police https://t.co/pGlEgencBu — BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) July 24, 2017

Police and ambulances are on the scene and rescue helicopters are circling overhead, police spokeswoman Cindy Beer is quoted as saying by Swissinfo.

The police say the attack is not related to terrorism.

Police have released a picture of the alleged suspect, who is still on the run, but have not named him.

They have warned that the man, who is about 190cm (6.2ft) tall, with an unkempt appearance, is dangerous.

Local shops are also shut, and people have been told to avoid the area.

The police say the alarm was raised at 10:39 local time (08:39 GMT), when an armed man was reported to have entered office buildings in Schaffhausen.

At a news conference, police said the attacker was believed to be driving a white VW van, and reassured the public that a large number of officers had been deployed in the area.

Schaffhausen is the capital of the Swiss canton with the same name.

About 36,000 people live in the historic town.