Five killed in shooting in northern Germany

Five people were shot and killed in the town of Stade, near the port city of Hamburg in northern Germany, police said on Friday. The motive for the incident was not immediately clear, according to a police spokesperson.

The role of a second individual in custody is currently unclear, a second police spokesperson told Reuters, adding that no other suspects were at large. It is unclear how many people have been injured, he said, adding that the dead were all adults.

Local media reported that the incident had taken place near a youth centre in central Stade, a town of just below 50,000 people to the west of Hamburg. The spokesperson denied that, but declined to give further details. Just after the incident took place, police had warned residents to steer clear of the area.

According to Mehr News, the shooting occurred on Friday and police are investigating. No further details have been released at this time.