A deadly shooting in Hamburg has unfolded around a site associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses, a group that remains banned in Russia. Authorities report that the gunman acted alone and took his own life as police closed in. The information comes via Berlin-based newspaper Berliner Zeitung, which cited the Hamburg interior authorities in its coverage.
Officials said the rapid police response played a crucial role in limiting the loss of life. Hamburg’s interior minister, Andy Grote, emphasized that the swift and determined action by officers likely prevented further casualties, noting the probability that no additional victims were injured after officers arrived on the scene.
According to statements from the Hamburg Interior Ministry, the assailant was identified as a 35-year-old man, Philip F., who first opened fire on a woman inside a parking area who had survived the initial chaos. The gunman subsequently forced entry into the building that houses the Witnesses’ headquarters by entering through a window, escalating the violence inside the facility. These details outline a premeditated attack that targeted people associated with the religious congregation.
The ensuing violence left eight people dead, including the perpetrator, and it was reported that one of the deceased was an unborn child. Rescue and medical teams reported that around 20 people managed to escape or survive the crisis, with many receiving urgent medical attention and psychological support in the aftermath. The incident has raised questions about security measures at religious facilities and how authorities respond to such sudden, targeted violence.
Earlier reports indicated that the shooter may have had connections to the Jehovah’s Witnesses through a past membership, though details on his exact relationship to the organization remain part of an ongoing investigation. Investigators are continuing to review the individual’s history and any potential motives, as the community in Hamburg begins to process this traumatic event and its aftermath. Law enforcement officials have appealed for calm and cooperation, urging witnesses to come forward with any new information that could help clarify the sequence of events and the shooter’s possible contacts or communications prior to the attack.