[NEWS] Another school shooting

[cin]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/ma ... l-shooting

Students killed in German school shooting
Eleven confirmed dead and several wounded by gunman reportedly wearing combat fatigues

Helen Pidd and agencies
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 11 March 2009 12.18 GMT

Article history


Policemen in front of the crime scene at the Albertville-School Centre in Winnenden near Stuttgart, Germany Photograph: Sascha Baumann/Getty Images
Police say a gunman dressed in a black combat uniform opened fire at a high school in southern Germany this morning, killing at least 11 people and injuring others before fleeing the scene.

The Deutsche Press-Agentur news agency said the suspected gunman, a 17-year-old former pupil from the school in the Stuttgart suburb of Winnenden, has been killed.

The Bild newspaper reported that the gunman was shot by police marksmen in a shopping centre, in nearby Wendlingen.

Police spokesman Klaus Hinderer said at least nine students were killed at Albertville high school . The gunman also killed at least one adult outside the building as he escaped.

"He went into the school with a weapon and carried out a bloodbath," said the regional police chief, Erwin Hetger. "I've never seen anything like this in my life."

The gunman entered the school at 9.30am (8.30am GMT) and opened fire at random before fleeing, police said. German media said nine of those killed were pupils, along with one adult. The school was evacuated after the incident.

Police could not confirm media reports that the gunman was a former student at the school.

According to Germany's Bild newspaper, the 17-year-old left the school two years ago. The paper reported that his parents had 18 weapons in their house. Armed police stormed the family' home and took his mother in for questioning, the paper added. The boy's father is "wealthy businessman" from a neighbouring area, it also said.

About 1,000 children attend the school, in a suburb 12 miles (20km) north-east of Stuttgart.

"We have to anticipate a death toll in double digits," said a spokeswoman for the Stuttgart authorities.

German television said the gunman had fled towards the centre of Winnenden.

Reuters reported that helicopters were circling above the town while rescue workers and firefighters were at the school. Eyewitnesses told German media of hearing shots and screaming. One pupil said she first thought it was a stupid joke. Then she saw her classmates jump out of windows, before she also fled the school.

A police spokesperson told Bild that the gunman shot a passerby near the psychiatric clinic in Winnenden. A worker from the clinic told the paper: "I heard six or seven shots. I am not allowed to leave my post."

Several school shootings have shocked Germany in recent years. In 2006, a masked man wearing explosives and brandishing rifles opened fire at a school in the western German town of Emsdetten, wounding at least 11 people before killing himself.

[chickenfeather]

That's awful. I'm guessing they haven't released the identity of the gunman yet.

[Tasdik]

I don't know what the hell would make someone go all berserk on unarmed kids at school. It's disgusting.

[cin]

I don't know what the hell would make someone go all berserk on unarmed kids at school. It's disgusting.

was thinkin the same.

[Wu]

Ugh that's horrible.

It's happening so often is just unreal.

****.

[DonBebek]

Yeah and I read that it happened a few hours after another guy in Alabama also killed 10 people. Attacks like that have become way to often, I wonder where this world is going to-.-

[TOloseGT]

world's going to shit along wit the economy. expect more things like this to pop up when ppl show their true colors in desperate times.

death toll's at least 16 now, terrible

[maxietheboss]

jeez, hate it when this stuff happens . things like these happen way to often nowadays.

[Crumpets]

Awww, no new games out .. can't blame them then ... hmm perhaps blame Watchmen then ?

[Swindler]

Sad but today this isnt any unusual, sadly :/

[Melez]

Good, they killed the fcker.

So dramatic, you send your child to school, and get a message your kid is dead. That is.. really sad.

[ThatBluePerson]

Life is so messed up, sometimes the only answer is rebellion.

[Jstar1]

thats terrible, I guess no one is immune to gun problems, we really should keep them in check. The german shooter had 16 guns in his house, no wonder

[theblindarcher]

this is just so wrong...

[Miguez]

Black Outfit?

CS more?

That's really sad, he probably had some mental issue, atleast he was killed, otherwise we had a potential serial killer, alive. At least he's dead now.

That's disgusting, the human race, so stupid.

[John_Doe]

not trying to be a jerk or come off as a German hater, but only 16 kills?...

[Shin'kensei]

I don't know what the hell would make someone go all berserk on unarmed kids at school. It's disgusting.

+1

Hard to imagine there's people in the world who take great pleasure in making others suffer without any reasons for it, sometimes.

[John_Doe]

I don't know what the hell would make someone go all berserk on unarmed kids at school. It's disgusting.

+1

Hard to imagine there's people in the world who take great pleasure in making others suffer without any reasons for it, sometimes.

omgosh O RLY? Better start getting use to it.

[dom]

Life is so messed up, sometimes the only answer is rebellion.

Yes. Let's rebel against the ones with the guns, no conscience, and willingness to kill the innocent.

[Ashikiheyun]

Such a sad thing to hear about

My heart goes out to all those effected.

And look american haters, it didn't happen in america!

[heroo]

heard about it on the news.

guess some people are too sick for this world.

[XemnasXD]

saw this on the bbc...

[EvGa]

thats terrible, I guess no one is immune to gun problems, we really should keep them in check. The german shooter had 16 guns in his house, no wonder

I own over 20+ guns.. I must be a killer?.. Someone with intentions to do something like this will find a weapon/way. Had he not had a gun Im sure he could have easily found/stolen one from somewhere or crafted a simple homemade bomb. Where there's a will there's a way.

Terrible stuff.. feel bad for the kids and families.

[Penglai]

ugh, this is happening way to often, it makes me think what makes those young people shoot and take the lives of several others ? It reminds me about the kid that went to a daycare center in finland where a young boy killed some people and then tried to kill himself. They shoul have gotten help earlier so it didnt have to come to this, makes me sad to see.

[Fury]

Must have been the angry German kid.

[SweetNess]

world's going to shit along wit the economy. expect more things like this to pop up when ppl show their true colors in desperate times.

i agree >.>

also i heard that the gunman's victims were primarily female??
is that true??

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29630925/

[Isis]

I know this is a horrible thing to say, but stuff like this has been happening like this for years.
But when it does happen it is such a terrible thing.

[Puma60]

Didn't he shoot 13 people, then run away while police were following him, then he shot 2 more guys? Why didn't the police shoot him dead asap?

[TOloseGT]

huh, i thought they did

nvm, he killed himself

[klokus]

He was surrounded, didn't knew what to do...
Then he got hit 2 times by a sniper (in the leg).
He falls, and shoots himself.