At Least Seven Reported Dead After Shooting in Germany's Hamburg, Several 'Seriously' Injured

Early unconfirmed reports suggested that the shooting occurred at an event organized by Jehovah's Witnesses*; however, investigators have yet to confirm the details of the shooting.

At least seven people were said to have been killed late Thursday in Hamburg, Germany, local media reported. Several individuals are believed to have sustained "serious" injuries.

An official tally from authorities has not been confirmed, with police spokesman Holger Vehren telling reporters that the severity of the injuries remain unclear. He did not comment on the death toll figure reported by local media.

Vehren did confirm that there was no indication of a shooter being on the run, noting that initial findings suggest the shooter was either still in the building or among those killed at the scene.

Preliminary reports noted the shooting incident took place near a Jehovah's Witnesses center in the area at about 9 p.m. local time in the Alsterdorf quarter of Hamburg. Residents in the area told reporters that they heard at least 25 shots ring out.

Hamburg police indicated that a large-scale operation remains underway to secure the site and determine the motive for the shooting. "Several people were seriously injured, some even fatally," a translated statement on Twitter read.

An updated release later issued by Hamburg authorities detailed that a deceased individual was discovered on an upper floor of the center's building. It's suspected the deceased may have been shooter.

Footage shared on social media has shown multiple police cruisers responding to the scene.

Das geht jetzt seit 20min so. Irgendwie beunruhigend pic.twitter.com/niZZo0F0Ep

— Oliver Steffens 🥨 (@dat_olen) March 9, 2023

Additional photos from the scene has shown the involvement of a bomb disposal squad; however, officials have stated the force was called on to ensure the scene was clear of any suspicious devices.

Residents, who were alerted via an emergency app of the shooting incident in the area, have since been urged to stay indoors amid the ongoing investigation. Surrounding areas of the crime scene have been cordoned off from spectators.

Weighing in on the development, Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher wrote on Twitter that the incident was "shocking," and underscored that officers were working to get to the bottom of the Thursday development.

Germany is considered to hold one of the largest communities of Jehovah's Witnesses in Europe.

*banned in Russia as an extremist organization