This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/23/armed-man-opens-fire-at-german-cinema-kinopolis-viernheim

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Germany shooting: man 'killed after opening fire at cinema in Viernheim' Germany shooting: man 'killed after opening fire at cinema in Viernheim'
(35 minutes later)
An armed and masked man has reportedly been shot dead by German special police after storming a cinema complex in Viernheim, in Germany’s Hesse region. An armed and masked man was shot dead by German special police on Thursday afternoon after storming a cinema complex in Viernheim in the Hesse region.
The gunman was said to have taken hostages, all of whom have escaped uninjured. The gunman had taken several hostages, all of whom escaped uninjured. A number of people inside the cinema were reportedly lightly injured when police deployed CS gas.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, the man entered the Kinopolis complex shortly after the start of the first screenings of the day at about 3pm, wearing a mask and carrying a gun and a munition belt. The man is reported to have fired into the air as he entered the cinema. The man entered the Kinopolis complex at about 3pm, shortly after the start of the first screenings of the day. The cinema was showing The Jungle Book, Alice in the Wonderland and the comedy Central Intelligence.
The interior minister of the state of Hesse confirmed at about 5pm that the man had been subdued by police and was dead. According to several reports in German media, the man was masked and carrying a “long weapon”, with a munition belt slung over his shoulder. Witnesses said the man fired four shots as he entered the cinema.
The interior minister of the state of Hesse, Peter Beuth, said special police forces had “fought and killed” the gunman. He could not confirm whether the gunman was carrying a live or a dummy weapon.
German police’s special response unit had closed off an area around the cinema complex shortly after the start of the incident. Police spokesperson Bernd Hochstaedter said that the police deployment lasted around three hours.German police’s special response unit had closed off an area around the cinema complex shortly after the start of the incident. Police spokesperson Bernd Hochstaedter said that the police deployment lasted around three hours.
“We believe that there were no injured people, and that the people who were in the cinema with the perpetrator could be freed uninjured”, Hochstaedter said.“We believe that there were no injured people, and that the people who were in the cinema with the perpetrator could be freed uninjured”, Hochstaedter said.
Various local media had reported that up to 50 people had been injured due to the use of CS gas. Initially there had been reports in the media that up to 50 people had been injured during the attack.
According to German press agency dpa, German security services currently believe the gunman to be a “confused individual” rather than a terrorist.According to German press agency dpa, German security services currently believe the gunman to be a “confused individual” rather than a terrorist.
More details soon …