Germany terror attack: 10 dead after 'far-Right' gunman attacks shisha bars
A gunman opened fire at two shisha bars in the southwestern German city of Hanau, leaving at least 10 people dead and four injured.
Police launched a massive hunt for the suspect, named by German media as Tobias R, who escaped the scene. He was found dead at his father's home in Hanau, next to another body.
A heavy police presence was in place in central Hanau, about 12 miles from Frankfurt, with officers cordoning off the scenes as a helicopter hovered overhead.
Bild reported that the suspect was a German citizen and that ammunition and gun magazines were found in his car. The newspaper said that the alleged attacker also had a firearms hunting licence and left behind a confessional video and letter in which he expressed "Right-wing views".
The first shooting began at about 10pm (9pm UK time) at the Midnight shisha bar in the central Heumarkt area of the city, with witnesses reportedly hearing a dozen shots.
The attacker then fled the scene by car, according to police, before carrying out a second attack at the Arena Bar and Cafe in Kurt-Schumacher-Platz.
At Arena Bar, the site of the second shooting, the gunman reportedly rang the doorbell and shot people in the smoking area, killing at least five people including a woman, according to Bild, the German newspaper.
"The victims are people we have known for years," the bar manager's son told news agency DPA.
A car covered in thermal foil also could be seen, with shattered glass next to it. Forensic experts in white overalls collected evidence.
Police said a dark vehicle was seen leaving the scene of the first shooting, and another shooting was reported at a second site. Police initially said that eight people had been killed but later said that nine had died in the attacks.
A short police statement said the motive behind the attack is unclear and gave no information on the victims. However, Bild, the German newspaper, is reporting that some of the victims are from a Kurdish background.
At about 5am time, police confirmed that the attacker had been found. Officials tweeted: "Suspected culprit was found lifeless at his home address in #Hanau. Special police officers also discovered another body there. The investigation is ongoing. There are currently no indications of other perpetrators."
Police from neighbouring Bavaria had been deployed to help their local colleagues and a journalist for the AFP news agency reported about 30 police cars leaving Hanau police station. Police officers with machine guns were also deployed in the city, which has about 90,000 inhabitants and is located in Hesse state.
"You could not imagine a worse evening," Claus Kaminsky, the mayor of Hanau, told Bild. "This was a terrible evening that will certainly occupy us for a long, long time and we will remember with sadness."
Katja Leikert, Hanau's representative in the Bundestag, tweeted: "On this terrible night in Hanau I send those close to the victims all my strength and heartfelt condolences. Hopefully the injured recover swiftly. It is a horrific scenario for us all. Thanks to emergency services."
Angela Merkel expressed "deep sympathy" for the victims of the "terrible crime".
"Thoughts this morning are with the people of Hanau, in whose midst this terrible crime was committed," the German Chancellor's spokesman said on Twitter. "We hope with those wounded that they will soon recover."
Germany has been targeted in recent years by several extremist attacks, one of which killed 12 people in the heart of Berlin in December 2016.
The shooting comes four days after another attack in Berlin, near a Turkish comedy show at the Tempodrom music venue, in which one person was killed.
