Stade mass shooting: 6 dead as shots fired at pregnant women and child welfare facility

Police in Germany have now confirmed a sixth death in the horror mass shooting as it is believed the youth welfare facility in Stade also housed pregnant women and mothers with children

A shooting at a welfare facility, that reportedly houses pregnant women and mothers with children. in Germany has seen six people killed, local police have confirmed.

Five people, four women and one man, have died at the scene of the shooting in Stade, as a sixth, also an adult, died later at a hospital. Police said several people were wounded, some of them seriously, German news agency dpa reported, but they did not give a specific figure or information on the victims’ identity.

Police said the shooting took place in the facility on Dankersstrasse, a street south of the town center. The youth facility also includes temporary accommodation for pregnant women or young mothers with children. There was no immediate word on a possible motive.

A main suspect was arrested, while another two people were subject to “police measures” on suspicion of involvement, police said in a statement. They didn’t elaborate.

Video footage after the shooting showed a large police presence, along with other emergency service personnel and several ambulances on a residential street.

Vitali Mertens, who lives across the street from the scene, said he heard gunshots and “the whole area was cordoned off right away.”

Stade has about 50,000 inhabitants and is located about 25 miles from Hamburg.

In a statement, the force said: “”According to the current state of the investigation, a homicide occurred at a youth care facility on Dankersstraße, resulting in multiple victims.

“Five people were fatally injured, and others sustained injuries. As part of the immediate search and police operation, two suspected perpetrators, including the alleged shooter, were arrested.

“The investigation into the background and the exact sequence of events is ongoing.”

Police also warned of misinformation being shared on social media. They added: “The circulating accounts do not correspond to the current state of affairs confirmed by the police.

“Please do not forward unverified reports, voice messages or rumours. This can cause uncertainty and hinder police action.”

Germany’s gun laws are more restrictive than those in the United States, and mass shootings are rare but not unheard of.

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