Six die in shooting at German welfare centre for mothers and children
A gunman killed six people in a German youth welfare centre for mothers and their children in what police said was a likely “family tragedy”, before the male suspect and a female companion were arrested.
The deadly shooting spree sparked a major police operation in the northern city of Stade, about 50km from Hamburg.
The six people killed were all adults, among them one who died from their injuries in hospital, while another person was wounded and in stable condition, a police spokesman told AFP.
The spokesman confirmed that “a male principal offender and a female companion” were arrested, while a separate police statement mentioned a third suspect being held.
The police spokesman said investigators believed it “does not involve a political background or anything of that nature. Rather it is an extended family tragedy”.
Police later said that a shooting suspect was involved in a custody dispute over a three-month-old girl.
N24 television cited witnesses as saying that police deployed to the building after an emergency call and spotted two suspects who were attempting to flee in a car, leading police to open fire.
One witness said police shouted “stop where you are” at the man and woman, then fired about 10 to 15 rounds at the vehicle.
The shootings took place near a daycare centre and a primary school, said city councillor Carsten Brokelmann.
“We are relieved that our staff and the children at the daycare centre and primary school are safe, and I would like to thank the police officers for their efforts in this chaotic situation.
“At the same time, our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this terrible act and their families.”
Germany has some of Europe’s strictest gun laws – they require anyone under 25 to pass a psychiatric exam before applying for a gun licence – but mass shootings still occur.
In February 2020, a far-right extremist shot dead nine people and wounded five others in the central German city of Hanau.
In March 2023, a disgruntled former Jehovah’s Witness member shot dead six people from the group’s congregation in Hamburg, before turning the gun on himself.
In May 2022, a 21-year-old gunman opened fire at a secondary school in northern Germany, wounding a female member of staff before being arrested.
- AFP
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