A gunman killed six people at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday night before allegedly turning his gun on himself. According to police, the gunman was a former member of the congregation. There were four males, one woman, and an unborn child who died. Authorities initially stated that a pregnant woman had died in the incident, but later clarified that she was one of eight persons injured. Her fetus, who was 7 months old, perished.
On Friday, police identified the gunman as unmarried former church member Phillip F., and said there was no evidence of a terrorist purpose. He left the Christian community approximately 18 months ago, they claimed, “but not on good terms.”
The gunman stayed inside the building the entire time, according to police, and there was no manhunt at any point. The gunman had already committed suicide when authorities arrived. When briefing journalists about the shooting in Germany’s second-largest city on Friday morning, police gave no hint of a possible motive. German magazine Der Spiegel first reported that the suspect was “said to have been a former member of Jehovah’s Witnesses… between 30 and 40 years old.”
Authorities confirmed on Friday that the gunman used a licensed semi-automatic weapon
Authorities confirmed on Friday that the gunman used a licensed semi-automatic weapon. They claimed an anonymous letter was sent to the police force several years ago claiming the suspect was mentally unstable and had shown animosity toward religious adherents, and that his firearms licensing was reviewed.
They stated that when questioned, Phillip F. was cooperative and showed no signs of mental health concerns, therefore the case was closed. He was a competitive marksman. Mass shootings are uncommon in Europe since gun ownership restrictions are generally tougher than in many places in the United States. In Germany, obtaining a handgun permit is a lengthy and stringent process.
Former Hamburg mayor and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the shooting a “brutal act of violence.”
Detectives worked all night to gather evidence
Detectives worked all night to gather evidence. As light snow fell outside the building on Friday morning, forensic investigators in protective white coats could still be seen. Police marked evidence with yellow cones on the ground and windowsills.
Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman David Semonian told The Associated Press in an emailed statement early Friday that members “globally weep for the victims of this tragic incident.”
“The congregation elders in the local area are providing pastoral care for those affected by the event,” he wrote. “We understand that the authorities are still investigating the details of this crime. We appreciate the courageous help provided by the police and emergency services.”
Hamburg Mayor Peter Tschentscher called the news “awful” and expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.
The shooting took place at the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a sleek and boxy three-story structure next to an auto repair shop.
Police spokesperson Holger Vehren said officers arrived quickly
Spokesperson of the Police Holger Vehren said officers were called to the incident at 9:15 p.m. and arrived quickly. Police acknowledged on Friday morning that they had received over 50 emergency calls concerning the shooting.
Vehren stated that after officers came and saw persons with obvious gunshot wounds on the main floor, they heard a shot from an upper floor and discovered a mortally injured person upstairs who they assumed was the shooter. He claimed that officers were not required to use their rifles.
Student Laura Bauch, who lives nearby, said “there were about four periods of shooting,” German news agency dpa reported. “There were always several shots in these periods, roughly at intervals of 20 seconds to a minute,” she said.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are members of a multinational church that was created in the nineteenth century in the United States and is based in Warwick, New York. It claims 8.7 million members globally, with approximately 170,000 in Germany.
Members are well-known for their evangelistic efforts, which include door-knocking and book distribution in public areas. One of the denomination’s distinguishing customs is its unwillingness to bear armaments, take blood transfusions, salute a national flag, or participate in secular governance.
