Five killed in shooting at youth welfare facility in Germany's Stade, two arrested

Five people were killed in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in the northern German town of Stade on Monday (June 29). Two people, including the suspected gunman, have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Police said several others sustained injuries in the shooting, but did not disclose the exact number of those wounded. The incident occurred at the welfare facility located on Dankersstrasse, a street situated south of Stade's town centre.

According to police, the premises provide temporary accommodation for pregnant women as well as young mothers with children.

Suspects detained

Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public following the shooting.

Visuals from the scene showed a heavy deployment of police personnel, emergency responders and multiple ambulances along the residential street as authorities carried out their operation.

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Two suspects were arrested, one of whom is believed to have fired the shots. Police said they were working to establish the background to the shooting and what exactly happened.

Witness recounts chaos

Vitali Mertens, who lives across the street from the scene, said he heard gunshots and “the whole area was cordoned off right away." He added that “the police sent me away”.

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

Stade has about 50,000 inhabitants and is located about 40 km from Hamburg.

Schools declared safe

According to a CNN report, local councillor Carsten Brokelmann said the city runs a daycare centre and a primary school close to the site of the shooting.

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“We are relieved that our staff and the children in the daycare center and elementary school are all safe and well, and I would like to thank the police officers for their service in this chaotic situation,” he said in a statement.

“At the same time, our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this terrible act and their families,” Brokelmann said.

Police issue appeal

Police also urged the public not to circulate unverified information about the shooting, warning that rumours shared online could interfere with the ongoing investigation.

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Mass shootings are uncommon in Germany, where firearm ownership is governed by strict licensing requirements. Applicants seeking a gun permit must demonstrate reliability, complete mandatory training, pass an examination and provide a valid reason for owning a firearm.

German government figures show that about 929,000 people in the country of 83 million legally own slightly more than 3 million firearms.

(With agency inputs)