At least two people have been killed in a shooting near a synagogue in the German town of Halle.
As reported by Metro, several others were injured in the attack this morning (October 9).
Police confirmed the two casualties, and while they are still urging residents in the town to remain indoors, one suspect has been arrested.
In a tweet, Halle Police wrote:
Our forces have detained one person… We remain alert, however. We have deployed forces in and around Halle and are trying to stabilise the situation until we have all the relevant information.
Police added that several shots were fired in the incident, and that multiple perpetrators fled the scene in a car – however, they haven’t said whether they’re seeking additional suspects.
According to German newspapers Bild and Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, the attack happened in front of a synagogue, and a hand grenade was reportedly also thrown. Today is also the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.
However, according to German n-tv news, a gunman in camouflage opened fire with an assault rifle on a doner kebab shop.
The witness told a TV reporter near the scene:
The man came up to the Doner shop, he threw something like a grenade, it didn’t explode, and he opened fire with an assault rifle. The man behind me must have died… I hid in the toilet.
National rail operator Deutsche Bahn has said the main train station in Halle is closed following the incident.
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After graduating from Glasgow Caledonian University with an NCTJ and BCTJ-accredited Multimedia Journalism degree, Cameron ventured into the world of print journalism at The National, while also working as a freelance film journalist on the side, becoming an accredited Rotten Tomatoes critic in the process. He’s now left his Scottish homelands and took up residence at UNILAD as a journalist.