Gun rampage at Mercedes factory leaves one dead

A gun rampage at a Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany has left one dead and another injured, before the shooter was arrested, according to local police. 

One person was arrested and rescue workers were on the scene at the Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, which assembles the S-Class model, Bild newspaper said.

‘Shots were fired,’ the police spokesperson was quoted by the newspaper as saying. ‘One person was killed, one seriously injured. The background is still unclear.’

Police on Twitter confirmed that there was an operation ongoing at the plant but did not mention any casualties. A later update said there was no longer any danger to employees at the plant, and ruled out issuing a ‘running amok’ alert.

Investigators are working on the assumption that this was the act of a single perpetrator and that no individuals outside the factory were involved, according to the prosecutor’s office. 

Pictured: Workers assemble a car at a production line at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, on April 30, 2020 (file phot). One person was killed and another injured as shots were fired at the factory  on Thursday, according to local reports

Around 35,000 employees work at the sprawling site in southwest Germany, about 10 miles from Stuttgard and 40 miles from the French border to the west. 

Reuters reported police were not immediately available for further comment. There was no initial information about the motive behind the shooting.

Bild reported that police recieved emergency calls at around 7.45am local time, with a special task force soon cordoning off the area.

It added that a large emergency response was on-site, including two helicopters and several emergency doctors ready to treat any who were wounded in the shooting.

Mercedes confirmed an incident had taken place at the plant and that it was in touch with the authorities, without elaborating.

‘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 a statement.

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. 

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…