Shots were fired in the morning at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Baden-Württemberg. Two people were killed in the process. As a police spokesman told the German Press Agency, the dead are two 44-year-olds.
The crime happened around 7:45 a.m. The background is still unclear. The police were at the scene with a special task force, and rescue workers were also on duty. The situation is under control, said a spokeswoman for the police headquarters in Ludwigsburg in the morning. There is no danger to outsiders. After the shots, security staff at the factory site overpowered the suspect and held him until the police arrived.
The workshop where the crime took place was cleared. The employees concerned were needed to be safe and would be given psychological care, the police said. “At the moment the tape is not running as normal,” said a company spokesman. When the hall can be released again and production can continue there is still to be clarified.
There is deep dismay among the employees. A large number were sent home after initial care at the plant on Thursday morning, a reporter from the German Press Agency reported.
The Stuttgart public prosecutor’s office assumes a single perpetrator without accomplices. A 53-year-old man was arrested. The public prosecutor’s office initially did not want to give any further details or the suspect. Investigators are not assuming there was an amok attack.
The suspected murder weapon was secured, said a spokesman for the responsible police in Ludwigsburg. He has no information as to what kind of weapon it is. The arrested suspect should be questioned about the crime and motive. In addition, numerous questionings of witnesses took place. The police have taken over the investigation.
The company was dismayed. “The tragic news from Sindelfingen shocked us deeply, said a company spokesman. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues,” said a spokesman. According to a statement, the victims and the alleged perpetrator are employees of an external service provider .