‘Lone’ Munich shooter kills 9 in mall rampage

Munich, July 23

The gunman suffered from depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik.

The shooting began at a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich’s Olympic stadium shortly before 2130 IST yesterday.

A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. Nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said.

Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality. Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said.

Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters.

Munich’s main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours. Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head.

Friday's incident snarled traffic as authorities blocked highways, closed the main railway station, and shut down public transport. Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre on Friday for a beer festival. "There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm," said Elena Hakes, who had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square. — Agencies