With Jehovah’s Witnesses: Dead and injured after shots in Hamburg

In Hamburg, an unknown gunman shot several people and injured others in a Jehovah’s Witnesses building. The police classified the incident as an amok act. Contrary to what was initially reported, there is no indication of a fugitive perpetrator.

Several people were killed or injured by gunfire during a Jehovah’s Witnesses event in Hamburg. The incident happened around 9 p.m.

There is no official information about the number of dead and injured. A ARD-Reporters on site reported at least six dead. Eight other people are said to have been injured.

Initially, neither the police nor the Hamburg interior authorities confirmed these figures. “According to initial findings, there are several dead among the victims,” ​​said a police spokesman.

Police say amok

According to information from security circles, the Hamburg police classified the shots as an amok act. “The dead all have gunshot wounds,” it said. The police spoke of a large situation. According to the investigators, the background to the shots in the Alsterdorf district was initially unclear.

Contrary to what was initially reported, there is no indication of a fugitive perpetrator, as a police spokesman said. Rather, there are some indications that he is among the dead in the church.

Police: Perpetrator “possibly” dead

Accordingly, the special unit of the Hamburg police USE entered the building shortly after the shots were fired. The emergency services first saw the dead and injured and then heard a shot “from the upper part of the object”. The officers then found a person on the upper floor, as a police spokesman said.

This is “possibly” the perpetrator or one of the perpetrators, the police spokesman continued. There is no absolute certainty yet, but the situation is currently “calm as far as possible”. There is therefore no longer any danger to the population around the crime scene.

Neighbor reports “four shot periods”

A neighbor reported several shots at the Jehovah’s Witnesses event. “There were about four shot periods. During these periods, several shots were always fired, approximately 20 seconds to one minute apart,” reported student Lara Bauch.

“I then looked further out the window and saw a person running frantically from the ground floor to the first floor at the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Later, people were carried onto the street by police officers on their hands and feet.

Large contingent of the police

Patrol cars with blue lights had cordoned off the crime scene in the evening. Officers with submachine guns also secured the area. Immediately after the shots, all the windows of the building were brightly lit, a helicopter was in the air, numerous ambulances were parked in the streets.

Defusers in heavy protective gear entered the Jehovah’s Witnesses building later that evening. According to the police, the procedure is routine. Forensics finally entered the crime scene four hours after the fatal shots were fired.

Interior Senator Andy Grote wrote on Twitter: “The @PolizeiHamburg is in GroßBorstel with a large contingent, including special forces, to ensure security on site and to quickly and fully clarify the circumstances of the crime.”

Official danger announcement: “extreme danger”

Shortly after the shots were fired, citizens were warned by an official hazard announcement by the Department of the Interior. It spoke of an “extreme danger”. “Around 9:00 p.m. today, one or more unknown perpetrators shot people in a church,” the text said. The police were informed by telephone about the shots at around 9:15 p.m.

What kind of event was held in the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was initially unclear. The Jehovah’s Witnesses website scheduled one of two weekly meetings for Thursday evening. According to the information, the public is also invited.

Mayor Tschentscher dismayed

In a first reaction, Hamburg’s Mayor Peter Tschentscher was dismayed. “The reports from Alsterdorf/Groß Borstel are shocking,” he wrote on Twitter. “My deepest sympathy goes to the relatives of the victims. The emergency services are working flat out to track down the perpetrators and clarify the background.”

Hamburg’s second mayor, Katharina Fegebank, was also shocked by the incident. “I am shocked by the shooting in Groß Borstel, in which there were several dead and injured,” wrote the Greens politician on Twitter. “My deepest sympathy goes to the families and friends of the victims. Thanks to all the emergency services who are working flat out to track down the perpetrators and clarify this cruel act.”