At least five people were killed in a shooting at a youth welfare centre in the northern German city of Stade on Monday, June 29, German police told reporters.

Police said they detained two people, including the suspected gunman, shortly after the attack.

A police spokesperson told journalists that one of those in custody is believed to be the main suspect, while the role of the second detainee remains under

investigation. Authorities added that there is currently no indication that any other suspects are at large.

According to police, all of the victims were adults. Officials said the exact number of those injured has not yet been confirmed.

The shooting took place at a youth welfare facility in Stade, a city of around 50,000 residents located west of Hamburg. Following the incident, police cordoned off the area and urged local residents to stay away while forensic teams and investigators examined the scene.

Police said the motive behind the attack has not yet been established and that the investigation is ongoing.

Germany has experienced relatively few mass shootings compared with countries such as the United States. However, the country has seen several deadly gun attacks in recent years, including the March 2023 shooting at a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Hamburg that claimed six lives, and the 2016 Munich attack in which nine people were killed.