At least 9 people are dead and more than 30 wounded after a gunman opened fire on shoppers in a busy mall in Munich, southern Germany. The perpetrator’s body was discovered nearby and bore self-inflicted wounds. His motives remain unclear.
24 July 2016
An Afghan teenager, 16, has been detained by police in connection to Friday’s Munich Friday shooting, police said in a Facebook post. The detained youngster, whose name was not disclosed, had been a friend of the gunman David Sonboly and police suspects that he knew that Sonboly planned to carry out an attack in the Munich shopping mall in advance but had not reported it to the police.
Three Turks are among the dead in the Munich shooting, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced, as he disclosed the names of the dead Turkish citizens as Sevda Dağ (born 1971), Can Leyla (born 2001), and Selçuk Kılıç (also born 2001).
"Unfortunately, our three citizens lost their lives. Citizens of the Republic of Turkey, our three brothers lost their lives," Çavuşoğlu said. “We are in contact with families of those who lost their lives,” Çavuşoğlu said.
23 July 2016
The Munich gunman shot himself immediately after he was approached by a police patrol, Munich police said. “As the police officers addressed him, he suddenly pulled out his pistol, held it to his head and fired a shot,” a statement issued by the police says. It occurred about 20:30 local time (19:30 GMT).
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and his Bavarian counterpart, Joachim Herrmann, have visited the area near the shopping mall in Munich where the shooting took place and honored the memory of the victims.
De Maiziere observed a minute of silence as he stood near the mourning wreaths at the incident site. He also visited the McDonald’s where the shooting started and the shopping mall. De Maiziere said that he came to show respect for Munich residents and also praised the work of the security forces. He also said that he was impressed by the expressions of condolences sent from all over the world and stressed that it shows that Germany “is not alone.”
Bild has published an alleged photo of the Munich shooter.
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter said the city has cancelled all festivals and events planned for this weekend. "It’s been tough hours for Munich. I am impressed by the residents' overwhelming readiness to help. Our city sticks together," he tweeted.
German secret services had no information on the Munich shooter, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. He confirmed the 18-year-old gunman had no links to Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL) or any other terrorist group.
He added that the gunman came from a Muslim family and might have converted to Christianity, given his name was David. "His family came to Germany in the late 1990s as refugees, and the suspect was born [here]," de Maiziere added.
The father of one of the victims of the Munich shooting spoke to Ruptly, expressing his shock at his son's death and stressing that the family still cannot believe in what happened. “I’m living as if in a nightmare. I still cannot believe what has happened. Everyone, the whole of our family, cannot believe this," he said.
He also recounted the last moments of his son who was with his friend, when the gunman opened fire. “The friend managed to flee and my son was shot dead,” the father said.
The German security cabinet has convened in Berlin, featuring Chancellor Angela Merkel, the vice chancellor, interior and defense ministers, and representatives of the intelligence and security services.
The 18-year-old German-Iranian suspect was not a refugee but was born and raised in Munich, had mental health problems and does not appear to have been politically or religiously motivated, Bavarian police officials told a news conference on Saturday. They said the gunman shot dead nine people and then committed suicide with a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol, and that 300 rounds were found in his rucksack.
Crime scene investigators have searched the shooter’s flat and found nothing relating to probable links to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), the officials said. However, a forensic unit found documents about killing sprees, including a book entitled "Why kids kill" describing the rationale behind school shootings.
Bavaria's police chief has told the media at a news conference that Friday's fatal shooting in Munich had no connection to the issue of refugees, as the attacker had been born and raised in Bavaria. The search in his room turned up no evidence of him being connected to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).
The Munich shooter has allegedly been identified as David S., Spiegel reported without citing its source. Previously, police have refused to name the suspect due to privacy reasons.
There are "no indications" so far the 18-year-old gunman was motivated by religious or political views, according to broadcaster ARD, citing Munich police.
German Foreign Ministry has confirmed Chancellor Merkel will meet the security cabinet today at 12:30pm local time. Earlier in the day, local media reported she was due to meet with her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a number of intelligence officials in the wake of the Munich shooting.
All security forces and emergency units have given "fast and professional response" to the shooting, Bavarian Minister-President and leader of the CSU party Horst Seehofer stressed. "We have to do everything to ensure our security. There is no freedom without security," he said on CSU's Twitter account.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered condolences to Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bavarian Minister-President Horst Seehofer, as well as the German people, over the Munich shooting, TASS reported citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has ordered flags to be flown half-staff all across the country to mourn those killed in the Munich shooting.
The investigation is focusing on the gunman's motives and his social circle to find out if the shooting was a lone-wolf attack or an act of terrorism, police told TASS on Saturday. The assailant's connection to any terrorist group is as yet unconfirmed.
Tehran has condemned the attack, which police say was carried out by an 18-year-old German-Iranian suspect. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced “killing of innocent and defenseless people,” expressing Iran’s solidarity with the German government and people, according to IRNA state news agency. The spokesman has also called for a “relentless and comprehensive fight” to eradicate violence.
The BFE+, a counter-terrorist team created last year by the German Interior Ministry to deal with Paris-style terror attacks, was not scrambled on Friday night, Bavarian Police Chief Hubertus Andrae said, according to N-TV news.
Instead, federal police deployed GSG 9, its elite special operations unit formed shortly after the 1972 Munich Olympics, when Palestinian terrorist movement Black September kidnapped 11 Israeli competitors, killing two in the athletes’ village and the other nine and a police officer in a failed hostage rescue operation.
Video has been posted on Twitter by Onlinemagazin news outlet, allegedly showing a furious confrontation between the gunman and an unseen man shooting the video. The cameraman is heard shouting racial slurs at the presumed gunman, who shouts back: “I am German! I was born here!”
WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE
Police elite counter-terrorist unit SEK stormed the shooter's flat in Munich's Maxvorstadt district early on Saturday morning, according to Bild. Crime scene investigators searched the apartment, where the gunman reportedly lived with his parents, looking for potential clues.
"A friend of mine, who was [the shooter's] classmate, told me he was rather a quiet guy. He recognized him in videos from the scene,” one of the 18-year-old's neighbors told Bild.
Neighbors had notified police about their suspicion three hours before the police raid.
The gunman’s father is being interviewed by police, according to Bild.
Commuter trains can now serve destinations to and from Munich as railway connections have resumed this morning, the German railway company said on its website. The announcement notes, however, that regional rail services are still operating with some restrictions.
US intelligence officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said preliminary reports from their German counterparts indicated there is no apparent link between the Munich shooter and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) or other terrorist groups.
French President Francois Hollande called the Munich shooting spree a "disgusting terrorist attack", as he promised France's friendship and cooperation.
"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," Hollande said in a statement.
Munich police tweeted that another press conference examining the shooting will be held at noon on Saturday.
It is still “premature” to say whether the shooting was an act of terrorism or simply a shooting rampage, Munich's police chief told Germany’s N-TV news.
Munich police said that over 2,300 security servicemen from all over Germany responded to the manhunt. Besides Munich and Federal Police units, special forces from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse in addition the Cobra from Austria aided the operation. A helicopter squadron was also deployed.
Youths were among the nine victims of the attack, the Munich police chief said. At least 16 more people had been injured in the rampage, including children. Three of the wounded have a life-threatening condition.
Police said the shooter was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who lived in the country for over two years and whose motives “are still unclear.”
At a press conference, police chief Hubertus Andrae admitted that conflicting witness testimonies made authorities believe that there were three killers at large, but that information has not been confirmed.
Munich public transport company (MVG) says that subway, bus and tram services will resume work at 4:30 am, warning passengers to initially expect some “limitations” to services, Focus Online reports.
Police asked Munich residents to stop publishing pictures of the victims. “Have respect for the suffering of the families.”
22 July 2016
At least 21 people were wounded in the attack, said police spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martins, adding that their injuries ranged from mild to severe.
German police have announced that at least 10 people are dead, including a possible gunman, the Telegraph reported.
Munich police just tweeted that, “all regular public transport ride[s] again” in the city.
Munich police secured a vehicle they believe could belong to the perpetrators, Focus online reports, siting a police source. A “dark gray medium-sized car” was reportedly taken away on a tow truck.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere (CDU) who canceled his trip to the US in wake of the tragedy, called the shooting “horrible and totally unbelievable.”
“We mourn the victims and our thoughts are with their families,” he said.
The Austrian Cobra Special Forces unit was dispatched Germany to help with the manhunt in the wake of Munich shooting. Some 42 Cobra operatives will provide support to Munich police, Konrad Kogler, the head of Austria's Directorate General for Public Security, said. Kogler also announced that Austria boosted interior security.
Austria has also "significantly" tightened security measures along its border with Germany.
"Police have significantly increased security measures so they are poised and fully ready to act," Kogler told state broadcaster ORF, without elaborating.
Police say the whole situation is still "unclear" and at least 10 people were injured in the attack, as the manhunt for the perpetrators continues.
The White House issued a statement condemning in the “strongest terms the apparent terrorist attack” as it expressed its condolences to victims of the families.
“In the midst of this tragedy, the United States will work closely with our German partners to whom we will make available any resources that would assist their investigation, as the president pledged,” the statement reads.
A bomb disposal robot was sent in to investigate a body alleged to be of one of the attackers, found a kilometer from the Munich shopping centre, Der Spiegel reports.
According to Mathieu von Rohr, the deputy head of the foreign desk at Der Spiegel, “Police found a dead body around 1km from shooting scene; seems to be the man from McDonald's video.”
"Police sending robot to inspect the body,” he tweeted adding that the “man was wearing a red backpack. Police want to inspect the contents of the backpack before approaching the body."
A Munich police spokesman, Marcus da Gloria Martins, said the identity of the attackers remains unknown, the Mirror reports. It also remains unclear whether the shooters are still in Munich. Authorities believe that up to 100 people witnessed the attack.
The police in Munich are urging the public not to publish footage of the gunfire in Munich. Instead it is urging people to submit the files to authorities directly through an online portal.
“While it is unclear at this stage how many innocent people have been killed or injured, how many gunmen are involved, or what twisted motivation they hold, we can say one thing with certainty: anyone who tries to commit indiscriminate, mass murder against ordinary men, women and children going about their daily lives stands for nothing but evil,” the UK shadow Foreign Secretary, Emily Thornberry, said in a statement.
“Our response cannot be to let them win by changing the way we live, or reacting ourselves with hatred and intolerance. We must stand defiant to protect our way of life, and we must take determined and unified action against anyone who wants to destroy it," she added.
The German Embassy in Washington is flying flags half-mast as the manhunt in Munich continues.
Police reiterated that "currently no trains, buses or trams in Munich" are running.
The German president Joachim Gauck said he had been "deeply shocked" by the mass shooting in Munich.
“My thoughts are with all the victims and all those who are grieving or fearing for a loved one. And I feel a bond with all those who are working to protect people and save lives,” he said.
US Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump said "the rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people."
Police spokeswoman Claudia Kunzel told ABC News that "all the police that we have" are responding to the situation.
Munich police tweeted that they have several special operations forces from Bavaria and other states, as well as the federal police, taking part in the operation.
The new UK Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson issued a statement saying, “I am shocked and appalled by the terrible attack unfolding this evening in Munich, and the loss of life. My thoughts are with those injured and the families of those killed. We stand ready to assist our friends in Germany."
<iframe width="900" height="506" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QIfsKZwFEms" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
US Democratic presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton pledged that US would "stand with our friends in Germany" to catch the perpetrators.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Foreign Minister of France, has expressed his "solidarity" with Germany, in a tweet.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, has issued a statement, saying that the government "isn't ruling out any particular motivation behind the attacks," and insisting that "no one wants to live in a surveillance state," which would be needed to guarantee total public security.
"We can't confirm terrorist link to Munich shooting, but we are investigating," Altmaier added.
The spokesman also announced that the German security cabinet would hold a meeting on Saturday to assess the situation.
The remainder of the Tollwood Festival, which was supposed to wrap up in Olympiapark, near the shopping center, this weekend, has now been canceled, according to police. Munich's nightclubs will also not be open tonight.
Police now say that including the body that has been found, the number of casualties of the attack has risen to nine. Authorities say that one of the bodies - the one found in the street, near the Olympia - may belong to one of the perpetrators. Earlier, on social media there had been speculation that one of the men committed suicide in the aftermath of the attack.
The number of fatalities in the Munich shooting has risen to eight, police have announced through Twitter.
German newspaper Bild has reported that the police are using armored vehicles for their operation to catch the gang of attackers.
RT's video agency Ruptly has posted a video of survivors filing out of the Olympia shopping center. The footage also shows one of the victims lying dead in the street, in the vicinity of the McDonald's where one of the gunmen opened fire.
Police have conducted a press briefing, but other than saying that their manhunt is the biggest police operation in a decade, there has been little new information, with the press officer promising another media session.
They have also confirmed the death toll stands at six, and said that the number of injured is "in the double figures."
US President Barack Obama, who had been updated on the situation, has said that his "heart goes out" to the victims of the attack, and reaffirmed that Germany remains of Washington's "closest allies."
While the identity of the attackers has not been confirmed, Islamic State, as usual, has not been slow in taking credit.
"Thank God, may God bring prosperity to our Islamic State men," said one affiliated account on Twitter.
"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," claimed another.
Police have now asked motorists to stay off the autobahns leading in and out of Munich, to allow easy passage for emergency and additional police units.
The authorities have also called the unfolding crisis an "acute terrorist situation."
Regional TV station BR says that GSG 9, the elite counter-terrorist unit set up in the aftermath of the 1972 attacks in the same city, is now on its way to Munich.
RT's news agency Ruptly has been shooting footage in Munich, without compromising the police operation.
In tangentially related news, some are beginning to speculate that Hillary Clinton will postpone her announcement of her running mate for the November presidential election, in a similar move to Donald Trump, who put off the unveiling of Mike Pence last week due to the terrorist attack in Nice.
The US State Department has followed the UK Foreign Office in issuing guidelines for US nationals stuck in Munich.
CNN has broadcast an interview with an eyewitness, who said that the assailants were "masked, and dressed all in black."
Bavarian state broadcaster BR has reported that 6 people are dead - with all of the victims killed at the shopping mall.
Munich residents have now begun an online campaign offering their homes to those stuck in the street in the city, under the hashtag #offenetür.
Germany's rail operator has said that the main station in Munich is being evacuated.
The station became a mainstay of international news stories last year, as the place where thousands of migrants camped upon their arrival in Germany.
Munich police have now released a longer update about the situation. The main new confirmed detail is that eyewitnesses report that there were three shooters in Olympia.
Still no clarity about their whereabouts.
Despite a manhunt that has been going on for more than an hour, Munich police have just tweeted that they still have no idea where the perpetrator is.
Facebook has now enabled one of its now-familiar safety checks, so that those in Munich can reassure their contacts that they have now been caught in the attack.
Several videos of policemen clearing areas around the mall have emerged, but Munich police have asked people to stop posting footage, to avoid compromising the operation.
Palestinians in the 1972 Olympics terrorist attack on the Israeli team in Munich famously used the television broadcast to track the entire police operation, lessening its effectiveness.
The Olympia shopping mall is built over one of the 1972 sites.
Bavaria's Interior Ministry has confirmed that there have been three fatalities as a result of the attack, according to Germany's NTV channel.
An Instagram video showing multiple ambulances around the Olympia shopping center, with a helicopter hovering above.
Police have now upped their attack toll estimate, saying there have been "multiple fatalities."
"We are dealing with a shooting rampage," said a spokesman.
Germany's N-24 channel had interviewed eyewitnesses claiming that bullets were fired in Karlsplatz, one of the city's main squares.
Police now say that there may have been multiple gunmen, while there are as yet unconfirmed Twitter reports claiming that there were several separate shooting attacks.
"The situation is still unclear," Munich police has tweeted. Previous reports indicated that the shooter may have disappeared into the underground transit system, after leaving the Olympia mall.
Police have warned citizens to stay away from the area of the shooting.
Several underground train routes have been suspended in the wake of the shooting, the local transport authority has announced.
A video has appeared of people hurriedly evacuating themselves from one of the stations.
Muencher Abendzeitung, a local newspaper, says the death toll has reached 15, though police has not so far confirmed this number.
"Many shots were fired," an employee of the Olympia shopping mall told Reuters, by phone.