The Lüneburg Police reported on Monday evening that a 45-year-old man is being held as the suspected perpetrator in the fatal shooting that occurred at a youth welfare institution in Stade. Six people were killed during the attack.
Investigators are currently pursuing the theory that the motive behind the incident was a custody dispute. The police stated that the tragedy was an “extremely cold-blooded act of violence” rooted in family matters.
The victims were all employees of the institution: two men and four women. The alleged killer had prior acquaintance with law enforcement but was not previously listed as a violent individual. Furthermore, he did not hold a license to carry a weapon, and the source of the firearm used remains unknown.
The suspect attempted to flee the scene in a Mercedes, but he was subsequently apprehended by police. Detectives have noted that the woman driving the vehicle had a close connection to the suspect’s family.
At the time of the shooting, the suspect’s three-year-old daughter and her mother were at the facility, but they were unharmed. Police have requested that the public respect the privacy of the victims’ families as they continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence.
