10:15 am, May 11, 2023
Two people were killed when a gunman opened fire at a Mercedes-Benz factory this morning.
The shooting took place in a production hall of the manufacturer’s plant in Sindelfingen, 17km south-west of Stuttgart, about 7.45am local time (8.45am BST).
Initial reports said one person had died and another was seriously wounded, but it’s now been confirmed that the second person later died in hospital.
Both victims were 44-year-old men.
A 53-year-old man was arrested at the scene, said Automotive News Europe, which quoted police who are investigating the motive for the shooting.
Mercedes has said that the victims and the gunman were employed by an external service provider.
It issued a statement saying: ‘We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news from Sindelfingen this morning. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site.’
Emergency services vehicles at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen following today’s shooting
Nobody outside the factory is believed to have been involved, stated the Stuttgart prosecutor’s office.
The German newspaper Bild reported that one person had been arrested at the plant, where Mercedes makes its S-Class and EQS models.
Earlier, Mercedes-Benz said in a statement: ‘We are in contact with the authorities and are trying to clarify the facts. The safety of the employees comes first.’
German broadcaster Deutsche Welle said emergency services had searched the building for other people who may have been hurt, adding that the site was sealed off by a special operations team, with two helicopters and several emergency doctors brought in.
Employees said the incident happened at Factory 56.
According to Mercedes-Benz, approximately 35,000 people work at the Sindelfingen factory.
Images credit: Julian Rettig/dpa via AP
This story was originally published at 10.15am when only one person was known to have died
