Five people have died following a mass shooting in Germany, police have said.
According to initial reports, shots were fired near a youth centre in the Dankersstrasse area of Stade in Lower Saxony.
Police and rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene following the incident.
German police have arrested two suspects, having earlier said they had arrested a male suspect. They added that the motive for the shooting remains unclear.
Police have asked people in the local area to avoid the scene of the attack ‘for [their] own safety.’
Local media reported that two police helicopters are circling over the city centre.
Police said that all the victims were adults, and that there are not suspects still at large.
In its latest update via their WhatsApp channel, local police said: ‘According to the current state of the investigation, a homicide occurred at a youth care facility on Dankersstraße, resulting in multiple victims.
‘Five people were fatally injured, and others sustained injuries. As part of the immediate search and police operation, two suspected perpetrators, including the alleged shooter, were arrested.
Five people have died in a mass shooting in Dankersstrasse area of Stade in Lower Saxony
‘The investigation into the background and the exact sequence of events is ongoing.’
It is not known how many people were injured in the attack, nor is the role of the second detainee.
Stade has a population of around 50,000 people, and is located west of Hamburg.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow
