Multiple people killed and several injured in Hamburg.
At least six people have been killed in a shooting at a Jehovah’s Witness centre in the northern German city of Hamburg. Local police believe the gunman is among the dead. Reports from German Media outlets suggest it is unclear at this point as to whether the attacker is among the fatalities recorded.
A number of people were also injured in a shooting on Deelböge street in the city’s Gross Borstel district near the River Alster.
As for a possible motive, “there is no reliable information on the motive,” German police say. Naturally, an investigation will follow to discover if there were any religious or extremist views influencing the attacker.
Police spokesman Holger Vehren said, “indications that a perpetrator may have been in the building and may be even among the dead.” He also stated that the police heard a “shot coming from the upper floors of the building.” Believed to be the final shot from the attacker.
The Interior Minister, Andy Grote, has taken to Twitter to state that police special forces have been deployed in the area.
The police have stressed that the public shouldn’t jump to any conclusions or spread rumours.
The question of whether this was a terrorist/extremist attack is unknown. Updates will follow as the story develops.
The Christian denomination of Jehovah’s Witnesses was founded in the United States by Charles Taze Russell in the 19th century; they believe that the destruction of the world as we know it is imminent in the form of Armageddon. A belief that the formation of God’s Kingdom on earth is the only solution to fix all the problems faced by humanity.
