Swiss police are searching for a 27-year-old Eritrean migrant accused of fatally stabbing an 18-year-old compatriot in an apartment in Oberglatt, Zurich, on Saturday night.

The suspect, who is reportedly in the country illegally, fled the scene and remains at large.

Authorities say the victim was found seriously injured in the shared apartment and could not be revived despite emergency resuscitation efforts. A homicide investigation is now underway, and the suspect is wanted for murder.

A roommate of the victim told 20 Minuten that she had heard a heated argument shortly before the incident. “I heard a violent argument between him and another person in the communal kitchen,” she said. As the two spoke in their native language, she did not understand the content. After about 10 minutes, the other man reportedly left the flat.

When she emerged from her room, she noticed blood on the floor near the kitchen door. “I wanted to go in, but the door was closed. I knocked, but no one opened. I received no response,” she said. Looking through the window from outside, she saw the victim lying motionless on the floor amid a pool of blood and immediately called the police.

Forensic investigators recovered traces at the scene and have seized what is believed to be the murder weapon, though police have not yet specified what kind of weapon it was. The motive for the killing remains unclear.

The neighborhood, usually described as quiet and close-knit, has been left shaken by the violence. “When you know that the perpetrator of the crime is still at large, you can’t walk around with peace of mind,” one concerned resident told the Swiss news outlet. Another added, “Here, everyone knows each other, everyone greets each other,” noting that nothing had seemed unusual before the attack.

The Zurich cantonal police have confirmed the investigation is ongoing and are continuing their search for the fugitive.