In Hamburg, a city in northern Germany, a shooting at a Jehovah’s Witness meeting place has resulted in a number of fatalities.

Authorities claim that the shooter, who is believed to be deceased, operated alone. If the attacker is one of the six or seven fatalities listed by German media, it remains uncertain.

The shooting on Deelböge Street in the city’s Gross Borstel neighbourhood also resulted in several injuries.

Investigations are ongoing, according to the police, who claim they located a dead individual at the scene who they think may have been the offender.

According to police spokesman Holger Vehren, they received a contact at about 21:15 (20:15 GMT) regarding claims that bullets had been fired within the structure.

Officers who went in found people who “may have been seriously injured by firearms, some of them fatally”, he said.

“The officers also heard a shot from the upper part of the building and went upstairs, where they also found a person. So far we have no indications that any perpetrators fled.”

He said police had not yet identified the victims and work at the crime scene continued.

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“All we know is that several people have died here, several people have been injured, they have been taken to hospitals,” Mr Vehren said.

It was “still absolutely unclear” why the incident occurred.

Here, forensic specialists have been working all night. 

Inside the meeting house’s well-lit interior, they could still be seen wearing their white suits.

Around 21:00, it is believed that individuals had gathered here, possibly for a Bible study (20:00 GMT).

A neighbour reported hearing numerous gunshots and subsequently witnessing police escorting individuals out of the building.

Peter Tschentscher, the mayor of Hamburg, expressed his sorrow and sent his sympathies to the victims’ families.