Munich Attack: Gunman Suspected to Be ‘Deranged’, No Links to ISIS
Shots were fired at a shopping centre in Munich. German media reported multiple deaths.
- Ten confirmed dead, and at least 27 have been injured in a ‘shooting rampage’ in at least three locations, including Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre, in Munich, Germany.
- Attacker was an 18-year-old German of Iranian descent and used a Glock-17, a semi-automatic pistol to carry out the attack.
- Shooter suspected to be ‘deranged’. ‘No indications whatsoever’ of him having any links to ISIS, revealed Munich Police.
- No details available on motive.
- German chancellor Angela Merkel will convene a meeting on Saturday.
- Transit system temporarily shut down.
- Police warns citizens to stay indoors and avoid the area under attack.
Angela Merkel: Germany is in ‘Deep and Profound Mourning’
German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in a brief statement to the media, reassured citizens of their safety, while also taking the opportunity to praise the “phenomenal” efforts of Germany’s security forces for their highly professional work following Friday’s deadly shooting.
Merkel has also promised that the authorities would find out the background to the killings.
Gunman had an Interest in Mass Shootings and Shooters
Munich police have suggested that there could be an obvious link between the gunman and Norwegian far-right terrorist, Anders Breivik. However, German Interior Minister, Thomas de Maizière has said that it is too early to link the Munich shooter to Breivik.
The Munich massacre incidentally took place on the fifth anniversary of Brevik’s mass killings in Oslo and Utoya, in which the far-right terrorist killed 77 people.
Details About the Gunman Revealed
Munich police chief, Hubertus Andrae has revealed that the investigators suspect the gunman, an 18-year-old was ‘deranged’, while also adding that there is ‘no indications whatsoever’ of the gunman having any links to ISIS.
It has emerged that the Munich gunman suffered from depression and used an unlicensed, Glock-17, a semi-automatic pistol for carrying out the attack.
According to reports quoted by The Guardian, the gunman has been identified only by his first name Ali Sonboly.
One of Sonboly’s neighbours in the Maxvorstadt neighbourhood of Munich told local media: “The lad was very, very nice. I really can’t say anthing bad about him”.
Details of a Few Victims Emerge
Seven of the nine people killed in a shooting spree at a Munich shopping mall on Friday were teenagers, including two 13-year-olds. The remaining two were 20 and 45. Six were male and three were female.
A 45-year-old woman, and three Kosovans, have been revealed to be among the nine killed in the Munich shooting.
Fake FB Account Invited People Into the McDonalds?
Munich police investigator Robert Heimberger” has confirmed that the shooter used a fake Facebook account to lure people to McDonalds where the shooting occurred. Earlier, reports suggested that the gunman set up the account himself.
The shooter allegedly created the accounting using a female name, and offered to buy anyone who came a free meal.
FC Bayern Munich Pays Tribute
The German football club based in Munich, Bavaria pays tribute to the victims on their Twitter page.
Public Transport Links Coming Back to Normal
Gunman’s Father Questioned
German newspaper Bild is reporting that the gunman’s father is being questioned by the police. His parents are believed to be from the Maxvorstadt district, and he reportedly went to school nearby.
According to the report, his neighbours saw him on Friday.
Police to Hold Another Press Meet at Noon
The police has announced another press conference at noon (3:30 PM IST).
France’s Hollande Calls Shooting A “Terror Attack”
A deadly shooting in Munich was a “disgusting terrorist attack” aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French President Francois Hollande said on Saturday.
“Germany will resist, it can count on France’s friendship and cooperation,” he said, adding that he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday morning.
Voices From the Ground
The Quint spoke with Madhusudhan Patra, an Indian who runs a restaurant in Munich, just three kilometres away from the Olympia Shopping Centre. Though no terror links have been found yet, and the situation remains largely unclear, Patra said:
Patra’s restaurant is called ‘Indian Mango’.
Anita Vrzina, a student in Munich, told The Quint that the city faced a complete lockdown when the manhunt for the suspected gunmen was on.
Flags at Half Mast to Honour Victims
The New York City mayor’s office said the City Hall in New York will be lit up with the colours of the German flag until 25 July.
Police Give All-Clear Sign
The police have given an all-clear sign and say that the gunman – who shot himself –acted alone.
Earlier there were suspected to be more than one gunmen who were feared to be on the loose.
A “Fake Game” at McDonalds
A journalist at the press conference asked about a “fake game” on Facebook which possibly led people to believe the McDonalds where the attack took place was handing out free meals.
The police said they were aware of that possibility, but couldn’t say if it was in any way linked to the attack.
Teenagers Among the Dead
During the press conference, police chief Hubertus Andra said there are also teenagers among the casualties, including a 15-year-old girl.
More details of the victims are yet to emerge.
Sixteen people are in hospital, police said, three of whom are in “serious” condition.
Attacker was an 18-year-old German of Iranian descent
The press conference has begun in Munich.
Police have confirmed that the attacker was an 18-year-old German of Iranian descent. 21 people have been injured, but the motive of the firing is still unclear.
The gunman had lived in Munich for a long time, police chief Hubertus Andra said in the press conference, and had no previous criminal record.
Asked about how many gunshots were fired and the type of weapon used in the shooting, Andra said that the investigation is still ongoing and they would not be releasing that information.
‘Sole Shooter’ Killed Himself: Police
The man found dead near the Munich shopping centre killed himself and was likely the sole shooter in the attack, a spokesman for the Munich police said on Saturday.
Public transport has also now been restored.
There isn’t any conclusive information available about the motive, they added. They will brief the media in about ten minutes from now.
Police said ten people died in the attack, including the possible gunman.
Earlier police had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the attack, citing eyewitness accounts.
The Munich police have found a car that they think belongs to one of the attackers, according to several unconfirmed reports in local media.
While earlier reports stated that at least 20 people were gravely injured in the attack, Munich police have confirmed that “at least 10” have been wounded.
The hashtag #OffeneTür (open door) is being used on Twitter to provide shelter to people.
Angela Merkel to Convene Meeting
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is to convene a meeting of the country’s security council on Saturday to address the shootings, her chief of staff Peter Altmaier said.
No Reports of Indians Among Casualties
The Indian Ambassador in Germany has said there are no reports of any “Indians among casualties.”
Indian Ambassador Gurjit Singh also tweeted, “Request all Indians in Munich area to look out for others and check on them as situation is uncertain.”
The Indian Consulate in Munich has also provided helpline numbers.
German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said a dead man found near the scene of a fatal shopping centre shooting had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald’s restaurant where the attack reportedly began.
The broadcaster said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack.
Police are requesting that any photos or videos that could help them be sent in:
There are now unconfirmed reports in local media that about 20 people have been severely injured in the attack.
Trump Reacts to the Attack
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, commenting on the shooting attack in Munich, said the United States should do all in its power to keep out terrorism.
Motive Still Not Clear: German Foreign Minister
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the deadly shooting attack was not yet clear.
The same thoughts were echoed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff.
One Attacker Believed to be Dead: Police
If local media reports are to be believed, one the persons killed is a 15-year-old girl.
The injured have been admitted to Childrens’ hospital in Munich.
The ninth person dead is reportedly the attacker who opened fire at McDonald’s, according to local media.
They have reported that his body was found about an hour ago near the Olympia shopping centre; 1km away from the scene of the crime.
Munich police have said that one person might have committed suicide. They are checking whether or not they are one of the attackers.
Nine People Dead
Police are now saying that there are nine people are dead, but added that nothing can be confirmed.
They said they are checking whether the additional person is one of the gunmen.
Asked if this was a terror attack, a police spokesman said:
He confirmed that the police were looking for three perpetrators and said officers were getting support from elite units but have not found any weapons.
German interior minister, who was on a holiday, is returning back to the country in the wake of the attack.
Facebook has put a safety check in place.
Atleast 8 Dead, Confirms Munich Police on Twitter
The Munich Police confirmed on Twitter that the death toll has risen to eight. There are suspicions that the attack is not linked to ISIS and it may be another group’s handiwork.
Boris Johnson Expresses Grief
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, said:
Munich police addressed a press conference in the wake of the attack and said that the Tollwood music festival scheduled to be held in the city has been cancelled in the wake of the attack.
They have also urged people to stay away from places that “have too many people.”
Obama Pledges Support After Shooting Spree
US president Barack Obama has expressed his grief over the attack and pledged his support for Germany.
He added that the US was ready to offer Germany “all the support they may need”.
US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said that she is monitoring the situation in Munich.
Eyewitnesses at the spot told CNN that they saw one of the gunman loading weapons and that he deliberately attacked children at the mall.
One of the perpetrators reportedly shot himself in the head, according to German magazine Focus Cities.
Munich police are using the term “suspected terrorism” in connection with the shooting.
Six people confirmed dead in the attack. Munich completely shut down as train, metro and bus services have been suspended. Three suspected gunmen still on the run.
UK Says “Urgently Investigating” Munich Attacks
Britain’s Foreign Office said it was “urgently investigating” shootings in the southern German city of Munich.
“We are urgently investigating an incident in Munich and stand ready to provide assistance to British Nationals,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Police say three gunmen are suspected to be behind the shooting and that they are still at large. They also suspect the shooting could be a terror attack.
Six people are feared to be dead.
The city’s transit system has been shut down and police have warned people to stay indoors.
8 Confirmed Dead in a ‘Shooting Rampage’
Munich police have asked people to not upload videos and photos of the attack for security reasons.
German police say they do not know where the attackers are and advises people to avoid public places.
Firing at Multiple Locations
Multiple shootings were reported in a McDonald’s outlet and at a metro station.
German news channel NTV quoted Bavarian Interior Ministry’s confirming three deaths.
The shooter is believed to have fled the shopping centre and headed for a nearby underground station, The Guardian reported.
UK foreign ministry adviced British citizens to avoid the area around the shopping mall and follow the advice of local authorities.
Police Say Multiple Attackers Involved
Munich police said that possibly more than one shooter is involved in the attack. No one has been taken into custody yet.
Multiple people have been killed and wounded in a shooting at a shopping centre in the southern German city of Munich on Friday, police said.
Authorities are still evacuating people from OEZ shopping centre, Munich police spokesperson said.
The Attack Follows Nice, Dhaka
The Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.
Friday’s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage claimed by Islamic State. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing.
The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack.
Motive is Still Unknown
Munich police have told people to remain in their homes and leave the area around the OEZ shopping centre in Munich.
Munich transportation have halted service on multiple trains, trams and bus lines after the shooting, authorities said.
Staff in the German shopping mall where shooting broke out are still hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone.
NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene.
Germany’s Muencher Abendzeitung reported that up to 15 people were killed in a shooting in Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in the southern city of Munich.
TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall.
The shooting at Munich’s shopping centre has left one dead and ten injured, police sources said.
Shots were fired at a shopping centre in Munich, Germany. According to the German media, several are feared dead.
Police have closed off a wide area around a large Munich shopping center after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said on Friday.
No details were immediately available on injuries or who was responsible for the shooting, the spokeswoman said.
An official at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre declined comment, saying only, “We are experiencing a problem.”
(With inputs from Reuters, AP, CNN, The Guardian and Munich Police’s Twitter handle.)
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