Gunman kills two in Germany

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel

An 18-year-old German man has been arrested after an elderly woman and a cyclist were shot dead near the town of Ansbach, police have said.

The suspect fired at them from his car, killing both at the scene, officials said. He also shot at two others who escaped unharmed.

After a manhunt, the suspect was detained at a service station.

His motive is not yet clear but it is thought he may have attacked because of personal reasons.

Police suspect the dead woman, an 82-year-old, is related to the gunman. The suspect’s identity has not been released.

The first shooting came in the village of Tiefenthal, the second a short time after in nearby Rammersdorf.

The local Nuernberger Zeitung newspaper said the suspect was captured by workers at the petrol station, after threatening them with a gun.

They then tied him up and contacted the police.

Siegfried Hess, the mayor of Leutershausen, which incorporates Tiefenthal, said he was “stunned”.

“In a place with 5,500 inhabitants where we have always had a quiet life, we only know this kind of situation from television,” he told the DPA agency.

  • BBC