Four people - including a child - have died in two shootings in northern Germany today, with one soldier arrested in connection with the attack. It is not clear if the shootings are related at this time.
ADVERTISEMENTSeveral police officers were called to a home in Westervesede, in the Scheessel municipality, in the early hours of Friday morning. The home has been cordoned off by police.
The shooting was allegedly perpetrated by an active Bundeswehr (German armed forces) soldier, who is understood to have handed himself into police after the shooting. The motive is still unclear, local media reports this morning.
Shots were also fired in one in nearby Bothel in the Rotenburg district. According to police, it is still unclear whether there is a connection between the two crime scenes.
“A motive in the family environment cannot be ruled out,” said a police press release. Officers launched a major operation around 3:30am local time, and state and federal police were also on duty. A police helicopter was used in the early stage of the probe, local media reports.
No further details about the deceased, including ages and the nature of their relationships, have been confirmed at this stage.
Investigators are also examining a vehicle in front of the barracks for suspected ammunition and explosives in the perpetrator's vehicle. The public prosecutor's office initially did not provide any information as to whether the suspect's weapon came from the possession of the Bundeswehr.
Police say there is no longer any danger to the nearby population at the present time.