What we know so far
- Ten people were killed – including the gunman – and at least 27 injured in a shooting at a shopping mall in the German city of Munich.
- The gunman has been identified by classmates as Ali Sonboly, 18, who was born in Munich, had dual Iranian and German nationality and had received psychiatric and medical treatment.
- Seven of the nine fatalities were teenagers, including two 13-year-olds. The others were 20 and 45. Six were male and three were female. All were from the Munich area. Three were from Kosovo, three Turkish and one Greek.
- The wounded are being treated in the city’s hospitals. Ten – one a 13-year-old boy – is in a critical condition and the death toll could rise.
- The shooter used an unlicensed Glock 17 semi-automatic pistol and had about 300 rounds of ammunition. Nothing was found to link him to terror groups and he had no apparent contact with Islamic State.
- Local media reported he was inspired by Norwegian extremist Anders Breivik; the shootings took place on the fifth anniversary of Breivik’s attacks in central Oslo and on Utøya island that killed 77 people.
- Sonbaly had carried out research into mass shootings and a police search of his flat found the German translation of a book titled Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters.
- Chancellor Angela Merkel convened her security council, made up of senior ministers, early on Saturday afternoon and issued a statement saying the country was “in profound mourning”. She sought to reassure citizens they were safe and praised the “phenomenal” efforts of Germany’s security forces.
- The shooting started at 5.52pm on Friday when gunshots were fired at a McDonald’s restaurant near the large Olympia shopping centre (OEZ) in the northern Moosach area of the Bavarian capital.
- The German interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, confirmed reports the attacker used a Facebook page to invite people to come to eat for free at the restaurant, then opened fire on them once they arrived.
- A video shows the gunman firing a pistol on the rooftop car park of the shopping centre and engaging in a furious shouting match with a bystander, during which he said: “I am German.”
- A major police operation, including elite anti-terror units, was launched in Munich, Germany’s third biggest city. Police initially said that, based on various witness reports, they were hunting up to three suspects armed with rifles who may have been involved in shootings at multiple locations.
- Police initially described the incident as a terror attack but said later they were calling it a shooting until they knew more.
- Residents were told via Munich’s smartphone warning system to avoid public places, stay in their homes where possible and listen to the TV and radio.
- Munich central station was closed and evacuated and the underground system and bus network were suspended. The transport network has since been reopened and is returning to normal. Police later issued a statement giving a “cautious all-clear” over the incident.
