STADE, GERMANY / EuroWire / – Six people were killed in a shooting at a youth welfare facility in Stade, a northern German town west of Hamburg, on Monday. Police said the attack happened at a mother-and-child residence on Dankersstrasse. Five victims died at the scene, while a sixth died later after being taken for medical care.
The dead were four women and two men, according to police. All were adults and were connected to the facility as staff or service providers. Authorities said no children were among the dead. The facility provides temporary support and housing for pregnant women, young mothers and children.
Police arrested the suspected gunman after he fled the scene in a vehicle. Officers also detained a woman who drove the car and placed another person under police measures as investigators examined possible involvement. Police said there was no continuing danger to the public after the arrests.
Police secure area after fatal attack
The shooting prompted a major emergency response in Stade, which has about 50,000 residents. Police, paramedics and forensic teams closed streets near the facility while investigators worked inside and around the building. Residents were asked to avoid the area during the operation.
Authorities said the suspected gunman was a 45-year-old man from Hanover. Police seized a firearm and continued to review how he obtained it. The man’s infant daughter and the child’s mother were at the site, according to officials, and both survived the attack.
Investigation focuses on sequence of events
The Lower Saxony Police said investigators were working to establish the full sequence of events. Officials also reviewed the role of the two other detained people. Lower Saxony Interior Minister Daniela Behrens said authorities were examining the case closely and supporting the local response.
Police did not release the victims’ names while identification and family notifications continued. They said the investigation remained active and urged the public to rely on official updates. The Stade shooting drew attention across Germany because it struck a welfare site serving mothers, children and social care staff.