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| German attacker took hostages before being shot, no one else hurt – police | German attacker took hostages before being shot, no one else hurt – police |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An armed man was killed by police after taking hostages inside a cinema complex in Viernheim, western Germany, local officials confirmed, adding that no one was hurt in the incident. Previous reports said the man had fired a gun, injuring up to 50 people. | An armed man was killed by police after taking hostages inside a cinema complex in Viernheim, western Germany, local officials confirmed, adding that no one was hurt in the incident. Previous reports said the man had fired a gun, injuring up to 50 people. |
| The interior minister of the German state of Hesse, Peter Beuth, confirmed that the man was shot and killed after police stormed the complex. | The interior minister of the German state of Hesse, Peter Beuth, confirmed that the man was shot and killed after police stormed the complex. |
| The man reportedly entered the Kinopolis cinema wearing a mask and a cartridge belt around his shoulder. | The man reportedly entered the Kinopolis cinema wearing a mask and a cartridge belt around his shoulder. |
| READ MORE: Suicide belt, grenade found near German cinema complex attacker - Bild | READ MORE: Suicide belt, grenade found near German cinema complex attacker - Bild |
| Beuth said the man was armed with a rifle. | Beuth said the man was armed with a rifle. |
| "The police had an emergency call at 2:45pm (12:45 GMT). The caller said there was a masked man...armed with a long gun. It is unclear whether it was a real gun," Beuth told the Hesse parliament. | "The police had an emergency call at 2:45pm (12:45 GMT). The caller said there was a masked man...armed with a long gun. It is unclear whether it was a real gun," Beuth told the Hesse parliament. |
| "The caller heard four shots and said that the masked man appeared a little mentally unstable. Police special forces were called." | "The caller heard four shots and said that the masked man appeared a little mentally unstable. Police special forces were called." |
| Police arrived at the scene shortly after the initial reports, including a number of officers from the SEC special task force. The area was cordoned off by authorities. | Police arrived at the scene shortly after the initial reports, including a number of officers from the SEC special task force. The area was cordoned off by authorities. |
| Initial reports stated that the man had fired shots at people inside the building, and that between 20 and 50 people had been injured. | Initial reports stated that the man had fired shots at people inside the building, and that between 20 and 50 people had been injured. |
| The man then reportedly barricaded himself inside the premises. | The man then reportedly barricaded himself inside the premises. |
| However, Focus later reported that the man was armed with a blank weapon, and that people were only hurt by tear gas. | However, Focus later reported that the man was armed with a blank weapon, and that people were only hurt by tear gas. |
| Police confirmed to Germany's N-TV channel that the man appeared to have no terror background. Beuth referred to the man as a "disturbed individual." | Police confirmed to Germany's N-TV channel that the man appeared to have no terror background. Beuth referred to the man as a "disturbed individual." |
| Dr. Paul Lashmar from Sussex University told RT that the whole incident in Viernheim looks “random.” | |
| It’s now important to figure out if the perpetrator’s actions were a manifestation of mental illness or a terrorist attack, he said. | |
| The rapid reaction of the German security force indicates that country is prepared for dealing with such attacks, Lashmar stressed. | |
| “Germany has been on alert for years. The whole of Central Europe is on high alert, watching for this kind of things – very hard to deal with when they pop up. This isn’t a major city… so that fact that the police managed to get armed people there fairly quickly must be a bit of a tribute to them,” he explained. |