Germany: At least 6 killed in shooting in Stade

Germany: At least 6 killed in shooting in Stade

Six people were killed Monday, 29 June 2026, after a gunman opened fire at a youth welfare center in the northern German city of Stade. The facility, located on Dankersstrasse in the city center, serves as a mother-child welfare institution providing temporary accommodation for pregnant women and young mothers.

Police arrived at the scene at approximately 12:10. Five victims died in the immediate aftermath, while a sixth person died at a hospital after first responders initially reanimated them. All six fatalities were adults—four women and two men—who were either employees of the facility or the Jugendamt. Fewer than ten other people sustained non-life threatening injuries, including one man who was heavily wounded.

The suspected shooter, a 45-year-old German citizen of Turkish descent from the Hanover Region, was arrested following a police chase. He had a prior criminal record for a threat and did not possess a firearm license. Police shot out a tire of the car the suspect was using to flee, leading to his apprehension on the B73 outside city limits. A woman, described as closely associated with the suspect's family and aged either 55 or 65, was also arrested after driving the getaway vehicle. A third individual, the suspect's 34-year-old wife, was detained for questioning.

Lüneburg police president Kathrin Schuol stated during a press conference that the shooting was motivated by a child custody dispute involving the suspect's three-month-old daughter. The gunman had arrived at the center for a scheduled appointment to discuss the matter. The daughter and her mother, who were living at the facility due to a previous ruling, were in the office during the attack but were not injured.

Investigators have ruled out political extremism, organized crime, and femicide. Lower Saxony interior minister Daniela Behrens described the event as an extremely cold-blooded act of violence with no political or economic motive. A police spokesperson told AFP the incident was likely an extended family tragedy rooted in the environment of the welfare center.

The violence caused significant disruption in the town of 50,000 people. City Councillor Carsten Brokelmann noted that the shooting occurred near a primary school and a daycare center, though he confirmed that staff and children at those locations were safe. While police initially launched a major operation and warned citizens to avoid the area, they later announced there was no longer any danger to the public.

Reports from WDR and NDR suggested the suspect might be a member of the Miri-Clan, based on a clan member having a child at the facility. However, police stated during their press conference that they currently have no information regarding that claim.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reacted to the news on X, calling the incident shocking to the core and offering condolences to the families of the victims, noting that many who died were people who wanted to help and protect others.

Mass shootings are rare in Germany, which maintains strict gun laws, including a requirement for those under 25 to pass a psychiatric exam before applying for a license. Recent similar events include a 2023 shooting in Hamburg where six people were killed at a Jehovah's Witness hall, a 2020 attack in Hanau that left nine dead, and a 2016 incident in Munich where at least nine people were killed.

A spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office stated that no arrest warrant has been issued for the main suspect yet, as the warrant depends on further police investigations.