Six dead after shooting at Stade youth welfare facility – arrest warrant issued
A 45-year-old shot six employees of youth welfare offices in Stade on Monday. The Hanover prosecutor's office is investigating murder charges including premeditation.
Arrest warrant following Stade shooting: Prosecutor's office sees premeditation and base motives
Following the fatal shooting at a youth welfare facility in Stade, the Stade district court issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday against the 45-year-old suspect. According to Google News DE — Crime (de), the man was arrested whilst fleeing the scene of the crime on Monday.
According to investigations, the weapon used was a Beretta Model 70. The suspect is said to have acquired the pistol on Kurfürstendamm and paid approximately 4,000 euros for it and 21 rounds of ammunition.
Prosecutor's office explains timeframe for arrest warrant
The Hanover prosecutor's office has commented on the timeline of the arrest warrant application. Before an arrest warrant could be applied for, all information gathered up to that point would need to be available in writing, a spokeswoman told NDR Niedersachsen. For this, "extensive evidence and investigative measures would have to be carried out and evaluated". Since the investigation was very extensive due to the number of victims, the operational situation, and the clarification of processes and background, the review required "appropriate time".
For this reason, a murder task force was also established, which has been handling the case since Wednesday. According to its own statements, the prosecutor's office sees particularly the murder charges of premeditation and base motives as satisfied.
Six employees shot, mother and daughter unharmed
The suspect is said to have shot three employees of the youth welfare office of the Hanover region and three employees of the facility on Monday during an appointment at the youth welfare facility in Stade. The mother and their daughter, who were also present, remained unharmed. Interior Minister Behrens described the act as a "cold-blooded act of violence".
Role of two women still subject of investigations
According to the prosecutor's office, precisely how the act unfolded and what background it had is still being investigated. It remains unclear, among other things, what role the child's mother and a 65-year-old woman played, who describes herself as the daughter's godmother. A possible involvement of the two women in the act is subject to investigation, according to the spokeswoman. Currently there is no urgent suspicion against them, which is why no arrest warrant applications have been filed.
The 65-year-old is said to have driven the 45-year-old to the appointment and transported him in a getaway car after the act. Three days before the act, she had contacted NDR and other media organisations in writing to present her perspective on the family's history.
"Whether and what charge will be brought can only be decided after the investigation is concluded", said the prosecutor's office spokeswoman.
Child in hospital before the act
According to NDR research, the suspect's daughter was in hospital before the act of violence. Doctors there suspected shaken baby syndrome. The care team of the deceased have been temporarily relieved of duty to cope with their grief. Representatives of the region have pointed to increasing violence towards social workers.
Pastors, telephone crisis services and the victim assistance office are available to those affected.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)