shots fired in Hamburg church kill ‘several’, police say

Shots fired in a church caused “several” dead and wounded in Hamburg, a port metropolis in northern Germany, announces local police, Thursday, March 9. “According to initial reports, shots were fired at a church on Deelböge Street in the GrossBorstel district,” in the north of the city, police said on Twitter. The shooter would be among those who died on the spot, she added, stressing that at this stage “no indication of fugitive perpetrators”.

#Aktuel where are you in #Alsterdorf zu einem größeren Polizeieinsatz. Wir prüfen derzeit die Hintergründe und informieren hier in Kürze über nähere Erkenntnisse. pic.twitter.com/ISit1BZJ5t

— Polizei Hamburg (@PolizeiHamburg) March 9, 2023

The facts happened “in a church of Jehovah’s Witnesses” from the north of the city, around 9 p.m., writes the popular daily Picture (in German). “Around 9 p.m., one or more unknown persons shot at people in a church”for its part indicated the Federal Office of Civil Protection.

The mayor offers his “sincere condolences to the families of the victims”

According to several media, the population of the port city has been warned of a “extreme danger” via the disaster alert app, with police calling to avoid the affected area. “Take shelter immediately in a building”adds the message asking to “only call in the event of an extreme emergency, so as not to overload the lines”.

City mayor Peter Tschentscher presents his “sincere condolences to the families of the victims”. “The intervention forces are working hard to pursue the perpetrator(s) of the crime & to clarify the context”he says on Twitter (in German).