Germany, attack in Hamburg: dead and wounded

In the Alsterdorf district of Hamburg, there was a shooting in a temple hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses that resulted in several deaths. The fatal shots were fired around 21:00. According to information published by Bild, seven people were killed and at least eight others injured. The motive for the attack is still unknown.

The police asked to avoid the affected area around the Deelböge: “Immediately seek shelter in a building” and called in the special forces. Citizens were asked to use the telephone only when absolutely necessary, to avoid clogging the lines. Roads in the area have been cordoned off.

Subsequently, the police spokesman explained: “There are no indications that there are people on the run.”
“When the police were alerted, we intervened very quickly because we were close to the scene. When they arrived at the church, the officers heard another shot,” explained the police spokesman. «On the upper floor of the building a person was intercepted who could not be ruled out being responsible or one of the responsible. But even this is not yet clear », he continued, underlining that the checks are underway.

At the moment the episode has been cataloged by the security forces as a possible ‘amok attack’, which refers to a gesture by a madman who intends to kill a large number of people and is willing to die in turn . The police officers who intervened on the spot following the shooting did not fire any shots, a spokesman for the Hamburg police announced, suggesting that the perpetrator may have committed suicide.

Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher wrote on Twitter in the evening: «The reports from Alsterdorf/Groß Borstel are shocking. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Emergency services are working hard to trace the perpetrators and clarify the background.