Shooting in Hamburg: what is known at the moment

Key points
  • Several people were shot dead in a church in Hamburg in northern Germany.
  • Police said a criminal was among the dead.
  • The incident happened around 9:00 pm local time.
Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschencher called the attack on a Jehovah’s Witnesses church “shocking.”
“My deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” he wrote in a tweet.

A police operation is underway with the involvement of special forces.

What do we know so far?

At least six people have died in a shooting at a church in the Gross-Borstel district of Hamburg, German police said.
“According to preliminary data, shots rang out in the church on Dilbege Street in the Grossborstel district. Several people were seriously injured, some even fatal,” police said on Twitter.

According to them, the shooting occurred around 9 pm local time.

Police tape and ambulances

Police were alerted to the attack 15 minutes after it happened. Source: AARP / Jonas Walzberg

The German media are reporting an incident that took place in a Jehovah’s Witnesses church.

Police have warned people of “extreme danger” in the area with a disaster warning app.

Residents should stay at home and avoid the area, police said, adding that the streets surrounding the church were cordoned off.

Are there any victims?

The police did not give exact numbers, but the German media reported six dead.
On Thursday, police said the shooter was among several dead found in the building.

“We have no indication that the perpetrator is on the run,” a police spokesman at the scene said, adding that investigators instead have “indications that the perpetrator may have been in the building and may even be among the dead.”

Who are the criminals?

It is not yet clear how many criminals were involved and who they are. Police said more information would follow.
“At the moment, there is no reliable information about the motives for the crime,” they added.
This is an evolving story and this article will be updated.
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