A custody dispute, possible motive for the shooting in northern Germany that has left at least six dead
The attack took place yesterday in the city of Stade, in Lower Saxony
BarcelonaAt least six people, all adults, died yesterday, Monday, in a shooting that took place at a youth care center in the city of Stade, in the German state of Lower Saxony. Several more people were injured, some seriously. The police arrested the alleged perpetrator of the shots, a 45-year-old man who was in a full dispute over the custody of his three-month-old daughter. According to the authorities, this could be the motive for the serious incident. Five of the victims, four of whom are women, died at the scene. The sixth, a man, died in the hospital as a result of his injuries.
The Minister of the Interior of Lower Saxony, Daniela Behrens, has reported that according to the data they have, it would be "an act committed for family reasons, an act of extreme cold-bloodedness without political or economic background." The same thesis has been shared by the head of the Lüneburg police, Kathrin Schuol: "The motives could be related to a custody dispute," she said. According to Schuol, the alleged perpetrator of the events had an appointment with several of the victims to discuss the custody of his three-month-old daughter, who was also at the scene with her mother. "Both were unharmed," Schuol detailed. Currently, the daughter is under the care of social services and the woman, 34, has been arrested by the police and is being interrogated.
The police have reported that the alleged perpetrator of the shooting is a 45-year-old man, born in Germany and resident in Hanover. "He had a police record for threats, but was not considered dangerous by the authorities," Schuol explained.
The events triggered a large police and emergency deployment in this city of 50,000 inhabitants, located about 45 kilometers west of Hamburg. Two helicopters were flying over the city center while officers tried to control the situation, which according to the police was initially very confusing. The public was asked to avoid the area.
The shooting is said to have occurred around 1:45 p.m. on Dankersstraße, in or around the aforementioned social center, which hosts youth assistance programs and also housing for mothers with children. According to information published by the German newspaper Bild, the space functioned as a social reception center.
Unknowns
The first investigations indicate that several shots were heard inside the premises. A witness cited by the digital media Focus Online reported that a woman and a young man tried to flee the scene by car, and that the police opened fire after the vehicle ignored orders to stop. According to this version, between 10 and 15 shots were heard, a fact that has not been officially confirmed.
In the following hours, psychological support teams attended to witnesses and those affected. The city councilor Carsten Brokelmann expressed his condolences to the victims and their families and thanked the emergency services for their response in a situation he described as "extremely confusing".
