Police officers gather at the scene of a shooting in the Alsterdorf district of Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday. Photo: Gregor Fischer via Getty Images
A shooting at a church in Hamburg, Germany, left several people dead and wounded on Thursday, local police said.
The big picture: At least six people died in the shooting at a building belonging to Jehovah's Witnesses, per German outlet Spiegel. The shooting in the country's second-largest city occurred at about 9p.m. local time, German tabloid Bild reported. Police said they had not immediately identified a motive for the shooting.
The latest: "Our investigations are running at full speed," Hamburg Police tweeted Thursday evening. "As soon as there is reliable information … we will inform you immediately."
- Special forces have been deployed alongside local police, according to Andy Grote, the interior minister for Hamburg.
- It's unclear exactly how many were killed or injured, and police have not confirmed whether the perpetrator is among the dead.
What they're saying: Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher called the reports "shocking" on Twitter.
- "My deepest condolences to the families of the victims," Tschentscher tweeted. "The emergency services are working … to track down the perpetrator(s)."
Worth noting: Mass shootings are rare in Germany. Between 1998 and 2019, Germany recorded five mass shootings compared to the U.S.'s 101, a 2021 study found.
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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