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One killed after shots fired in Mercedes Benz plant in Germany - report

There is no danger to the population, police say

Sravasti Dasgupta
Thursday 11 May 2023 04:33 EDT
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One person was killed and another injured as shots were fired in a Mercedes Benz manufacturing plant in southern Germany.

Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that rescue workers were at the site at the Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, which assembles the S-Class.

Police said in a statement on Twitter: "There is currently a police operation on the factory premises. Police and rescue workers are on duty.

"There is no danger to the population."

Police also said to the outlet that one person has been detained in connection with the incident but did not provide further details.

“One person was killed, one seriously injured. The background is still unclear. The perpetrator was arrested,” a spokesperson was quoted as saying.

Police said they received emergency calls from the plant from around 7.45am local time.

Subsequently a special task force cordoned off the area.

Rescue workers, including two helicopters and several emergency doctors, were present at the site.

Police later said that there was no immediate danger at the site.

“There is no longer any danger for the employees in the plant.”

Mercedes in a statement also confirmed that an incident had taken place at the plant, reported Reuters.

"We are in contact with the authorities and are trying to clarify the facts. The safety of the employees comes first," the company said.

In 2012, a shooting at a factory site for technology firm 3M in the western German town of Hilden left one dead and four injured.

There have been a string of shootings in Germany in recent years.

In March, six people were killed and eight injured in Hamburg at mass shooting at a Jehovah’s Witness hall.

In 2022, an 18-year-old man opened fire in a packed lecture at Heidelberg University, killing one person and wounding three others before killing himself.

In 2020, there were two high-profile shootings, one in which six people were killed and another in which nine people died.

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