a gunman believed to have acted alone, attacked a Jehovah’s Witness church in Hamburg, Germany, killing several people and injuring others. Although police have not yet disclosed the exact number of casualties, they believe the shooter is among the dead.
The shooting occurred at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, located in Hamburg’s Alsterdorf district, which is the country’s largest port. The authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack, and police have confirmed that they are focusing on determining the reason for the violent outburst.
Reports suggest that mobile warnings were issued to residents in the area about a “life-threatening situation,” and streets were sealed off immediately after the incident. Emergency services transported the injured individuals, who were wrapped in blankets, to a bus.
Television footage shows a large number of police cars and fire engines blocking the streets as emergency service workers help the wounded. Witnesses reported hearing twelve continuous gunshots and seeing people being taken away in black bags.
The Hamburg shooting is the latest in a series of violent incidents that have rocked Germany in recent years. In February 2020, a gunman with suspected far-right links shot and killed nine people, including migrants from Turkey, in the western town of Hanau before taking his own life and his mother’s life. Similarly, in October 2019, a gunman killed two people when he opened fire outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
The mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher, expressed his shock at the incident and offered his condolences to the victims’ families. He tweeted, “I extend my deepest sympathy to the families of the victims. The forces are working at full speed to pursue the perpetrators and clarify the background.”
German authorities are facing an increased threat of terrorism, which has led to increased security measures and monitoring of potential extremist groups. The country has also struggled to address the issue of right-wing extremism, which has seen a rise in attacks against minority groups and immigrants.