German Gov't Informed on Progress in Munich Shooting Investigation

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and chiefs of the country’s security services on Saturday informed the government on the progress in investigation of the deadly shooting in the city of Munich.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Friday, a 18-year-old German man of Iranian descent opened fire in a crowded Munich shopping mall and a nearby McDonald's restaurant, killing 10 people and wounding 27 others. He was later found dead not far from the Olympia mall, after he shot himself.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, as the suspect’s death note has not been found so far.

Investigation

According to media reports, German police have searched the apartment where the suspect lived with his parents.

The Special Deployment Commandos (SEK), a special force of the German state police, reportedly stormed the apartment following a hint from the suspect's acquaintances. The law enforcement then took father of the alleged shooter for questioning.

A weapon used by mall shooter in Munich is likely to be illegally obtained Glock pistol, the local police said Saturday.

"[We] conduct an intensive work in a number of places, to reveal the details. The attacker had Glock pistol. It was, probably, obtained illegally, as a serial number was erased," the police said.

Possible motive

Local police chief Hubertus Andrae said that there are no reasons to believe that the suspect behind the Munich shooting was connected to the Islamic State extremist group, which is outlawed in many countries, including Russia and the United States and which took responsibility for a number of terror attacks across Europe.

"The shooter was 18 years old, he was born and grew up in Munich. He was a school student, a search has been conducted in his apartment, in the room where he lived. The search exposed no links to the Islamic State," Andrae said.

According to the police chief, the suspect was a "lone wolf."

"The shooter is absolutely unrelated to the issue of migrants," chief police added.

The police is also reportedly checking information that the shooter was under psychiatric care due to depression. Munich chief prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said that there is no concrete information yet on possible mental heath issues of the shooter.

Victims

The majority of victims in the Munich shooting were minors, police said Saturday.

"Two of the deceased were 15 years old, three others were 14, another victim was 17, one was 19, one more — 20 and the other — 45," Andrae stated at a press conference broadcast by the N24 news channel.

Three Turkish citizens were among those killed in an attack at a mall in the German city of Munich, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.

According to the foreign minister, the Turkish authorities are in contact with the three victims’ families.

International response

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the people of Germany following the deadly shooting in Munich in a letter addressed to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Minister President of Bavaria Horst Seehofer.

"The Russian president, in a telegram, conveyed words of sympathy and support to the families and friends of the victims [of the shooting] and wished a speedy recovery to the injured," the Kremlin press service said in a statement.

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi condemned Friday's shooting in Munich, local media reported Saturday.

"Today, fighting against terrorism, in any form and anywhere, is an urgent demand of the world community which should be taken into consideration by an the whole international community," Ghasemi said as quoted by IRNA news agency.

He urged to launch a life-and-death struggle to eradicate killing of innocent people.