Arabic version: ستة قتلى في إطلاق نار بمركز رعاية الشباب في ستاد، ألمانيا
Six people have been confirmed dead following a mass shooting at a youth welfare centre for mothers and their children in Stade, northern Germany. Police have arrested two suspects, a male principal offender and a female companion, while a third suspect is also in custody. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but authorities have described it as a likely “family tragedy”. According to ABC News, all six victims were adults, with one succumbing to injuries in the hospital. Another individual was reported wounded but is in stable condition.
The incident triggered a major police operation in Stade, located about 50 kilometers from Hamburg. Eyewitnesses reported that police opened fire on the suspects as they attempted to flee in a vehicle after the shooting. A separate video showed police apprehending the suspects, who were found lying face down on the road.
Local authorities stated that there was no ongoing threat to the public, and the area around the shooting was secured. City councillor Carsten Brokelmann emphasized the safety of children and staff at nearby day-care and primary schools, expressing relief that no one was harmed in those facilities. He extended condolences to the victims’ families.
Germany has stringent gun laws, requiring psychiatric evaluations for applicants under 25 seeking a gun license. Although mass shootings are relatively rare in the country, they have occurred in the past, with this incident marking one of the deadliest in recent years.
