6 killed in shooting at German youth welfare center
by Danielle Haynes · UPIJune 29 (UPI) -- Police in Northern Germany said a shooting at a youth welfare facility left six people dead Monday.
A suspect in the shooting was in a custody dispute over his baby daughter, the BBC reported. The 3-month-old and her mother were in the office at the time but were not injured, it said.
Five people died at the scene of the shooting in Stade, and a sixth died after being transported to a hospital. Stade is about 27 miles west of Hamburg.
All of those killed were adults, CNN reported. The four women and two men were all staff members at the facility. Several other people were injured.
Authorities said they arrested three people, including the suspected shooter and a 65-year-old woman who was allegedly driving the vehicle he was in.
The New York Times said the suspect was a 45-year-old man who had an appointment to visit his daughter and discuss future custody.
"This was a murder committed for family reasons -- an extremely coldblooded act of violence with no political or economic motives," said Daniela Behrens, interior minister for the state of Lower Saxony, which includes Stade, The Times reported.
Local councillor Carsten Brokelmann said there was a daycare center and elementary school nearby where the shooting took place.
"We are relieved that our staff and the children in the daycare center and elementary school are all safe and well, and I would like to thank the police officers for their service in this chaotic situation," he said.
"At the same time, our deepest sympathies go out to the victims of this terrible act and their families."
The Times said mass shootings in Germany are rare due to strict gun ownership laws. Authorities said it's unclear how the suspected shooter obtained the gun they used.