BERLIN: Police said several people were killed in a shooting that took place inside the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Hamburg on Thursday night.
According to reports, at least six people have died and seven others have been hurt during the episode.
According to a statement from Hamburg police, the incident in the northern German city happened around 9 p.m. local time (3 p.m. ET), and there were "one or more unknown" attackers.
According to a police spokesperson, investigators are checking if the shooter is one of the numerous people who have been discovered dead inside the structure. According to Hamburg police spokesman Holger Vehren, officers responding to the scene found dead and injured persons on the bottom floor of the three-story hall of worship, where an event was being held.
When the police first entered the building, they heard a shot on the top level and discovered a dead individual there. Authorities suspect it might have been the perpetrator, but a spokesperson said no more information could be released at this time.
Many armed police officers could be seen inside and around the Kingdom Hall in footage from the area and a helicopter maintained ariel surveillance. The police have also issued a warning of "high risk" in the region, and the neighbourhood's streets have been sealed off, the spokesperson continued.
Residents in the area have been asked to stay inside. There is "no verifiable information on the motive for the crime," the police said on Twitter as they begged people not to post any unconfirmed conclusions.
Police are treating the gunshot as a singular event, according to the spokesperson. Peter Tschentscher, the mayor of Hamburg, tweeted that the reports of the tragedy were "terrible" and offered his "deepest sympathies" to the victims' families.
"I send my sincere condolences to the victims' families. Emergency personnel are working furiously to find the offender(s)”, he wrote.
Also Watch: