A gunman killed six people and wounded several others at a mother-and-child centre in the German city of Heidelberg on Tuesday afternoon, in what police are treating as a targeted attack. The suspect, a 37-year-old German national, was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet established a motive, but early reports suggest the assailant had no prior criminal record and was not known to intelligence services.
The centre, run by a charitable organisation, provides accommodation and support for mothers and young children. The Foreign Office in London issued a statement expressing solidarity with the German government and condemning the attack as a 'senseless act of violence.' The incident has reignited debate over gun laws in Germany, where firearms are strictly regulated but private ownership remains legal under certain conditions.
Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is due to visit the scene later this week, described the shooting as a 'dark day' for the country. The British embassy in Berlin has offered consular assistance to any affected UK nationals, though no British casualties have been reported. The attack comes amid heightened security concerns across Europe, though investigators have found no immediate links to organised terrorism.
