UPDATES WITH NUMBER OF INJURED, MESSAGES OF CONDEMNATION
BERLIN (AA) – Eight people were killed and at least 10 were injured on Friday after an unknown number of assailants opened fire in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich.
Police spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martins told reporters that a total of nine bodies were found at the scene, and that one of them was suspected to belong to an assailant.
Martins said forensic scientists were examining the body to determine whether he was one of the suspects.
German police have launched a major manhunt in Munich city on Friday evening to arrest up to three assailants who are believed to carry long guns, according to witness statements.
“The suspects are still on the run. Please avoid public places,” Munich police posted on Twitter.
Video footage aired on N24 TV station showed a male assailant randomly shooting at people in front of a fast food restaurant near the Munich Olympia shopping center.
Munich police spokesman said the motivation of the attack was unclear, and so far there had been no indication of a religious-extremist attack.
Police evacuated the Munich Olympia shopping center on Friday night and elite GSG 9 counterterrorism teams were sent to the city for a possible operation against the assailants.
Meanwhile, reactions to the attack began to stream in late Friday from around the world.
The White House called the attack ”heinous”, condemning it ”in the strongest terms”.
”The resolve of Germany, the United States, and the broader international community will remain unshaken in the face of acts of despicable violence such as this,” the statement said.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack in a statement, saying: “International solidarity and cooperation is essential in the fight against the scourge of terrorism that targets the common values of humanity.”
