March 9, 2023 Jehovah Witness church shooting in Hamburg, Germany

Multiple people killed in church shooting in Hamburg, Germany, police say

By Elise Hammond, Matt Meyer, Amir Vera and Seán Federico-OMurchú, CNN

Updated 0944 GMT (1744 HKT) March 10, 2023
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7:20 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Police heard a gunshot as they entered the church, spokesperson says

From CNN's Nadine Shmidt in Berlin

When police arrived at a Jehovah's Witness church in Hamburg, Germany, in response to a shooting Thursday, they heard a gunshot on the top floor of the building, a police spokesperson said. The building is three stories high, he said.

Hamburg police spokesperson Holger Vehren told CNN affiliate NTV reporter Bastian Vollmer that officers arrived at the church around 9:15 p.m. local time. Police previously said the shooting happened at around 9 p.m. local time.

When law enforcement entered the building, they found several dead and injured people on the bottom floor, the spokesperson said. They found another person dead on the top floor after hearing the gunshot, he said.

Police believe the person on the top floor may have been a gunman but said no further information could be given at this point, according to Vehren. There are currently no indications that a suspect is on the run, the police spokesperson said.

Hamburg Police said in a translated tweet that officers are "working at full speed." They urged people to refrain from talking about any potential gunman or the shooting itself.

"You would make it much easier for us to communicate about the ongoing operation" in the GroßBorstel district, another translated tweet read.

6:25 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Gunman may be among several people found dead after Hamburg church shooting, police say

From Nadine Schmidt in Berlin and Jessie Gretener in London

Police officers gather at the scene of a shooting in Hamburg, Germany, on March 9, 2023.
Police officers gather at the scene of a shooting in Hamburg, Germany, on March 9, 2023. (Gregor Fischer/Getty Images)

A gunman may be among the several people found dead after a shooting at a Jehovah's Witness church in Hamburg, Germany, a spokesperson for the city's police department said.

"We have no indications of a perpetrator on the run," the spokesperson said at the scene.

Investigators, instead, have "indications that a perpetrator may have been in the building and may be even among the dead," the official said.

The spokesperson said police are treating the shooting as an isolated incident.

5:59 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Hamburg mayor offers sympathy to families of people killed in church shooting

From CNN's Nadine Schmidt in Berlin

The mayor of Hamburg, Germany, expressed his “deepest sympathy” for the families of those killed in a shooting Thursday.

Peter Tschentscher tweeted about the incident, calling the reports "shocking."

Tschentscher also advised people to pay attention to information being distributed by police.

Police have said the shooting happened at a Jehovah's Witness church and several people were killed and others were hurt. There is a lot of information not yet known — including the motive for the attack or where any suspects are, according to police.

5:55 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Police still determining who is inside the church after Hamburg shooting, spokesperson says

From Nadine Schmidt in Berlin and Jessie Gretener in London

A large police presence is seen near where the shooting took place.
A large police presence is seen near where the shooting took place. (Jonas Walzberg/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Police officers are still accounting for everyone who is in the building after the shooting at a Jehovah's Witness church in the city of Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday night, a spokesperson told CNN.

Streets surrounding the church have been cordoned off, with a heavy police presence at the scene.

Police said they had alerted people to an "extreme danger" in the area. They are urging residents to stay indoors and avoid the area.

5:35 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Hamburg police say they have no motive for the shooting in the GroßBorstel district

Hamburg police tweeted there is a large law enforcement presence in the GroßBorstel district of the city where there was a shooting Thursday.

Several people were shot, the police said.

In a separate tweet, officials said they do not have a motive for the shooting.

5:24 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Hamburg shooting occurred at a Jehovah's Witness church, according to affiliate reports

From CNN's Nadine Schmidt in Berlin

The deadly shooting in Hamburg, Germany, occurred at a Jehovah's Witness church, CNN affiliate RTL/NTV reported Thursday. Local authorities said multiple people were killed.

The outlet is reporting that the incident occurred around 9 p.m. local time while an event was ongoing at the church.

5:30 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

At least 6 people killed and at least 7 injured in Hamburg shooting, CNN affiliate reports

From Nadine Schmidt in Berlin and Jessie Gretener in London

Police respond near the scene of the shooting.
Police respond near the scene of the shooting. (Jonas Walzberg/picture alliance/Getty Images)

At least six people were killed and at least seven people wounded in the shooting at a church in the northern German city of Hamburg Thursday night, CNN affiliate RTL/NTV reported.

NTV reporter Bastian Vollmer said the shooter or shooters are on the run, adding emergency services and doctors were at the scene.

5:35 p.m. ET, March 9, 2023

Police: Multiple people killed in a church shooting in Hamburg, Germany

From CNN's Nadine Schmidt in Berlin and Jessie Gretener in London

Multiple people were killed in a shooting at a church in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday night, local authorities said.

In a tweet, the Hamburg police said, “according to initial findings, shots were fired in a church on the street Deelböge in the district of GroßBorstel.”

The tweet said police are at the scene where “several people were seriously injured, some fatally,” and said more information would follow.