SW News: At least eight people died in a deadly shooting in a worship center in the German city of Hamburg on Thursday. Police said on Friday that the suspect too perished with the others in the attack that took place at the Jehovah’s Witness Center in the city. Investigators are still probing the motive behind the fatal shooting that injured several people.

The assailant entered the building while worship was going on and intermittently fired shots. In a statement, police said, “Eight people were fatally injured, apparently including the suspected perpetrator."
In the wake of the gruesome tragedy, Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the “brutal act of violence” and extended his condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives. Mayor Peter Tschentscher also expressed shock over the tragedy.

It was at 20:15 GMT that gunshots were heard from the building located in the Gross Borstel northern district. Police said there is no reliable information at the moment to ascertain the reason behind the fatal shooting. Officers also appealed to the public to come forward with any pictures or videos that may provide a clue to the motive behind the attack.

In recent years, the country has been experiencing a spate of violence carried out by both Islamic extremists and far-right radicals. The deadliest was the 2021 Christmas market truck attack in which 12 people were killed. A suspected Islamic State supporter of Tunisian origin rammed a truck into a crowd in Berlin.

Germany remains a vulnerable target of Islamic insurgents because of its role in joining hands with the anti-Islamic State coalition that defeated the outfit in Syria and Iraq. Statistics reveal that the number of Muslims in the country who are deemed to be extremely dangerous radicals has gone up from five in 2013 to 615 in 2021, as per the Interior Ministry.