A mass shooting at a facility for vulnerable young people has shaken Stade, a small city in northern Germany, in one of the deadliest attacks the country has seen in recent years.
Five killed, others wounded
At least five people were fatally shot Monday at a youth welfare facility in Stade, in the state of Lower Saxony, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Hamburg, local police said. Others were wounded, though authorities had not released a precise count by Monday afternoon. Police described "homicides involving multiple victims" at a facility on Dankersstrasse, which, according to Al Jazeera, provides temporary accommodation for young people, including young mothers and their children.
Two detained
Two people were taken into custody after the attack, CBS News reported, with police saying one of them is believed to be the shooter. Authorities did not release the suspects' identities, ages or nationalities, and said no motive had been established; they have not linked the attack to terrorism or any ideology. Police said they were still working to determine "what exactly happened."
A large operation, then calm
A major police operation closed off Dankersstrasse, and authorities urged residents to stay away "for your own safety," Euronews reported, before later saying there was no ongoing danger to the public.
Mass shootings are rare in Germany, which has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe — controls tightened repeatedly after attacks such as the 2002 Erfurt and 2009 Winnenden school shootings.
What is still unknown
As of publication, police had not confirmed the number of wounded, the identities of victims or suspects, any relationship between the attacker and those killed, or a motive. This is a developing story, and the Herald will update it as officials release more information.
