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29 March 2024

Munich attack: Toll 9; no links to Daesh

Police officers secure the area near the shopping mall the Olympia Einkaufzentrum (OEZ) in Munich on July 22, 2016 following a shooting earlier. (AFP)

Published
By Agencies

LATEST: There are absolutely no indications that the German-Iranian gunman who opened fire on shoppers in Munich on Friday had links to Daesh and the attack also had no link to refugees, Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said on Saturday.

Andrae said the 18-year-old attacker's room had been searched, adding: "Based on the searches, there are no indications whatsoever that there is a connection to Daesh."

Andrae said investigations had not given any reason to believe there was more than one perpetrator and attacker had "no link whatsoever to the topic of refugees". He said there was no reason not to visit Munich or to cancel events for security reasons.   

Toll 9; Teen suspect commits suicide

A teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people in a shooting rampage at a busy Munich mall and then committed suicide had likely acted alone, German police said Saturday.

"The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich," police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the rampage.

The shooter had dual citizenship and "no criminal record".

"The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear," he added.

However, a police spokesman in the Bavarian capital had said earlier that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of Daesh link.

The pistol-wielding attacker, identified by Andrae as a dual national, was later found dead of a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

Police, citing eyewitness accounts, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre that sent shoppers fleeing in panic and shut traffic across the city.

But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving on to the mall.

Sixteen people, including several children, were injured in the attack and three were in critical condition, Andrae said.

There was no known motive for the shooting in Germany's third largest city, which went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off immediately after the attack.

"The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Daesh celebrated on social media.

US intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said initial reports from their German counterparts indicated no apparent link between the shooter and Daesh or other militant groups.

The gunman, whose body was found on a side street near the mall, was not identified by name but Andrae said he was not previously known to police.

 

EARLIER REPORTS:

City into lockdown, with transport halted and highways sealed off

(Video source: Neil Turner ‏@NeilTurner_)

Gunmen attacked a busy mall in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, killing at least eight people and sending shoppers running for their lives from what police said was a terrorist attack.

Munich police spokesman says ninth body was found about one kilometer from scene of shooting attack.

Police have urged eye-witnesses and others not to publish photos and videos of Munich gunfire online. They have requested public to send them the files and help them in the investigation.

People can forward their video clips and photographs in the following link: https://medienupload-portal01.polizei.bayern.de/

Authorities told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off.

A police spokesman said three gunmen were on the run after the initial shooting subsided. The city was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them.

"We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous," he said. "We are urging people to stay indoors."

21:40 (Munich local time)

A Munich police spokesman said: "If a man with a long gun in a shopping centre opens fire and eight people are dead, we have to work on the assumption that this was not a normal crime and was a terrorist act."

The police are looking for three gunmen and with support from elite units but have not found any weapons.

Police have no evidence that the danger zone is any further than the area around the Olympia shopping centre. But, has urged people to stay at home until the situation is clear.

21:30 (Munich local time) Munich police say they have found 9th body at shooting scene; checking to see if it was an attacker.

Death toll rises to eight in shooting at Munich shopping mall, police spokesman says.

21:05 p.m (Munich local time)

Members of Germany's elite anti-terrorism force are on their way to the scene of the deadly shooting in Munich.

Munich Police - For any information for relatives or inqiuiries about missing persons please dial: 0800 7766350, for any other information - 089 29101910.

Police have also urged people to restrain any speculations.

21:00 (Munich local time)

Facebook have also set up a safety check for people to let their loved ones know they are ok.

Munich police - At least 3 suspects armed with rifles still at large after deadly mall shooting

8:30 p.m (Munich local time)

According to Reuters news report, witnesses in Munich rampage saw three shooters with long rifles - local police spokesman.

Munich police are using the term "suspected terrorism" in connection with the shooting at a city mall.

8.07 p.m (Local time)

US President Barack Obama on Friday pledged support for Germany after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in Munich.

"We don't yet know exactly what's happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured," Obama said, before speaking at a White House meeting.

"We are going to pledge all the support they may need," he said.

There are conflicting reports about whether gunmen are active only in the vicinity of the shopping centre or elsewhere in Munich. The latest police advice is as follows:

Munich police are urging residents to stay home or seek safety indoors as they hunt for a shooter or shooters who attacked people at a mall.

8.04 p.m (Local time)

In a statement, Munich police say "the suspects are still on the run. Please avoid public places." They urge people not to post tweets or post photos of police operations in the city.


 
Munich police spokeswoman Claudia Kuenzel says there are "several dead and wounded" in the shooting at the Olympia-Einkaufszentrum shopping mall in northern Munich.

Munich public transit operator MVG says all subway, bus and trolley cars have been shut down because of the police operation until further notice.

8 p.m (Local time)

Main train station in Munich evacuated - German rail operator.

Whereabouts of the perpetrator/s unknown. Munich police hunting shooter or shooters in the mall shooting.

Munich police urge people to stay home or go indoors as they hunt for mall shooter or shooters.

Reuters

German police say they do not know where the attackers are and advises people to avoid public places.

Police in Munich are saying that they have received reports from witnesses of three gunmen in the area surrounding the Olympia shopping centre. They say that all available forces are being deployed but no one has been arrested.

"Due to the unclear situation we ask all people in the metropolitan area to stay at home and those in nearby buildings to seek shelter."

AFP

A video posted online – whose authenticity could not be confirmed – showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public.

Munich's Sueddeutsche Zeitung paper says city's transport system has shut down following shooting at a mall.

The shooting began at a McDonald’s restaurant, a police spokeswoman has told the local BR24 news outlet, and it was not yet known whether there were one or more attackers.

Dpa news agency reports that police in Munich are saying "we expect multiple dead" in a shooting at a mall.

Staff still hiding out in Munich shopping center after shooting - Employee by phone.

6:40 p.m (Munich local time)

Munich police confirm shots have been fired at Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping center but say they don't have any details about casualties.

TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall.