German authorities have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of killing six employees at a support centre for mothers and children in the northern city of Stade during a meeting about custody arrangements for his infant daughter.
Police said the suspect attended the facility on Monday for a scheduled custody meeting concerning future care arrangements for his three-month-old daughter before allegedly producing an unlicensed firearm and opening fire on staff. Six employees died following the attack, while the child's mother and the infant were not injured.
Prosecutors in Lower Saxony are leading the investigation into the attack. Authorities said the motive appears to have been linked to a private family dispute and confirmed there was no indication of a political or extremist motive.
Custody Meeting Turned Deadly
Police said emergency services were called to the youth welfare centre on Dankerstrasse shortly after midday following reports of gunfire.
According to investigators, the meeting had been arranged to discuss the future care of his daughter when the shooting took place. Five members of staff died at the scene, while a sixth later died in hospital from their injuries.
The victims included four women and two men employed at the centre, which provides temporary accommodation, counselling, child welfare services and family support for pregnant women, mothers and young families, including families involved in custody and child protection matters.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 29, 2026
Five people have been killed in a mass shooting in the northern German town of Stade 🇩🇪
Police have arrested a male shooter.
The shooting took place near a youth facility.
A motive for the attack is still unknown. pic.twitter.com/nXBvT0ZZUs
Interior Minister Daniela Behrens described the shooting as an act of violence arising from a private family matter and said there was no evidence it had been motivated by political or ideological reasons.
Suspect Arrested After Police Pursuit
Police said the suspect fled the centre in a vehicle driven by a woman before officers intercepted the car on a nearby road and arrested both occupants.
Lüneburg Police later confirmed the suspect was a 45-year-old man from Hanover. Officers said he had previously come to the attention of police over alleged verbal threats but had no history of serious violent offences.
Prosecutors have since obtained a pre-trial detention order and said the man is expected to face six counts of murder. Under German law, murder convictions generally carry a mandatory life sentence.
🚨Breaking: 6 dead in Germany mass shooting at a facility for PREGNANT WOMEN and young mothers near Hamburg.
— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) June 29, 2026
Reportedly a 45 year-old suspect of Turkish descent is in custody.
Strict gun laws didn’t stop it.
Another tragedy from failed integration and migration policies.… pic.twitter.com/HJeiqFLnfS
Investigators are also examining how the suspect obtained the firearm, as authorities said he did not hold a valid firearms licence.
Investigation Continues
The child's 34-year-old mother and the couple's infant daughter were present at the meeting when the shooting began but were not physically injured. Authorities said both have since been placed under psychiatric care.
Forensic teams continued examining the scene on Tuesday while investigators gathered evidence from inside the welfare centre. Municipal officials also coordinated the dismissal of children from a nearby primary school and day-care centre as police secured the surrounding area following the attack.
Officials also announced a review of security arrangements at social service offices, where staff regularly meet families involved in high-conflict custody and welfare disputes without dedicated security personnel. Officials said the review would examine whether additional protective measures are needed for frontline workers handling sensitive family cases.
The suspect remains in custody while prosecutors continue preparing their case.
