At Least 6 Dead In German Church Shooting

Topline

At least six people were killed in a mass shooting at a church in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday, according to multiple reports, with dozens more injured in one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings in recent years.

Key Facts

The gunman was reportedly found dead and police do not believe there are any shooters at large.

It’s unclear what the shooter’s motive might have been.

The shooting reportedly targeted a Jehovah’s Witness center in the Gross Borstel district of northern Hamburg.

Crucial Quote

“The reports from Alsterdorf / Gross Borstel are shocking. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims,” Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher tweeted.

Key Background

Mass shootings are far rarer in Germany than the U.S., but are not unheard of. In February 2020, a far-right extremist killed nine people of immigrant backgrounds at hookah lounges in the city of Hanau. German officials have also voiced concerns about rising Islamic extremism in recent years, after an ISIS supporter killed 12 people in a Berlin truck rampage in 2016.

FURTHER READING

Shooting at Jehovah’s Witness hall in Hamburg, Germany; several killed or injured, police say (CBS News)

Several killed in shooting in Germany church in Hamburg (BBC)