Four women and two men have been killed in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in the northern German city of Stade, police said on Monday.
Stade police said several others were injured in the shooting. Five people died at the scene, while a sixth person succumbed to their injuries in hospital, police said. All were adults.
The victims were employees of the facility, not residents, a German police official said in a briefing, Reuters news agency reported.
The alleged perpetrator, who was arrested shortly after the shooting occurred, is a 45-year-old male Turkish citizen, police said on Monday evening. He was born in Germany.
An investigation into the circumstances of the shooting is ongoing, but authorities believe the suspect’s motive could be related to his family.
“He had an appointment at the youth welfare facility with various staff members regarding custody of his three-month-old daughter,” police said in a statement.
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In addition, a 65-year-old woman – who police said was the driver of a getaway vehicle and has close ties to the family involved – was also taken into police custody.