Police give all clear and say attacker acted alone
Gunman was 18-year-old German of Iranian descent
What we know – and what we don’t know – about the attack
10.34am BST
German Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich have paid tribute on Twitter to those impacted by the shootings.
"'We're horrified" - the thoughts of everyone at #FCBayern are with those impacted by yesterday's events #Munich pic.twitter.com/st3cjgRPJI
10.18am BST
Bavarian broadcaster Bayerische Rundfunk is reporting that among the dead are two females and six males, aged 14 to 21. A 45-year-old woman is also among the victims. Currently 16 people are being treated in Munich hospitals. Two are very seriously injured.
Meanwhile one of David S’s neighbours in the Maxvorstadt neighbourhood of Munich has told local media: “The lad was very, very nice. I really can’t say anthing bad about him.”
10.06am BST
The attacker has been identified by police so far only by his first name, ‘David’ and the initial S for his surname, but this is likely to be pseudonym. It is believed he lived with his parents in the Maxvorstadt district of the city. Police and forensic experts have been seen entering an apartment in the are and taking away belongings.
Police say David S was not known to them. But they are working on the assumption that he is the same man seen on a video filmed on a mobile phone that has gone viral, showing a man on the roof of a car park, in an angry exchange with a resident from a nearby housing block.
10.02am BST
Some heartbreaking images have come into the Guardian picture desk of a father clutching a photograph of his son, believed to be one of the victim’s of the shooting. He appears to have arrived at the scene of the shooting earlier this morning.
9.58am BST
We now have a full translated transcript of the furious exchange between the alleged gunman as he paces on a car park rooftop and a witness, who filmed the conversation from a higher vantage point.
Interesting exchange in German (((
pic.twitter.com/OKnZTTWnDN
9.49am BST
There are reports that the shooter may have set up a fake Facebook account under a female name through which he attempted to encourage people to come down to the OEZ McDonald’s.
Under the female guise, it is claimed the gunman offered in a post to buy anyone who came down a free meal.
9.34am BST
Journalists reporting an ongoing heavy police presence at the OEZ mall.
Still heavy police presence at #Munich's Olympia shopping center. pic.twitter.com/sD05dnzicj
9.23am BST
CNN spoke to a woman, named only as a Loretta, who said she witnessed the shooting as she hid in a shop next door to the McDonald’s.
She said her eight-year-old son witnessed the shooter loading his weapon in the men’s toilets in McDonald’s. She said:
I come out of the toilet and I hear like an alarm, boom, boom, boom. He’s killing the children. The children were sitting to eat. They can’t run.
9.14am BST
The German foreign office has confirmed the security cabinet is to meet the chancellor, Angela Merkel.
#Munich: At 12.30pm the security cabinet meets at the Chancellery. Chllr #Merkel,different Ministers+heads of security authorities take part
9.06am BST
German media reporting public transport links that were shut down are starting to resume nearly-normal services.
Reports that subway line 3 in #Munich running again, but does not stop #OEZ shopping mall https://t.co/x3ldXgtOEx
8.59am BST
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has sent condolences to the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the chief minister of Bavaria over the Munich attacks, reports Reuters, quoting Russian news agencies.
8.55am BST
Hi, it’s Jamie Grierson here, taking on the live blog. The German ambassador in London says his thoughts are with families.
Grateful for many expressions of sympathy and support by British and International friends #shooting #Munich. Thoughts are with families.
7.59am BST
Iran has condemned the attack, which police say was carried out by a teenage German-Iranian gunman.
Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced “the killing of innocent and defenceless people” and expressed Iran’s solidarity with the German government and people, official IRNA news agency reported.
7.52am BST
Overnight armed officers carried out raids on apartments in Munich.
7.29am BST
The German newspaper Bild is reporting that the gunman’s father is being interviewed by police. Forensic teams are searching the apartment where the gunman lived with his parents. The report says the suspect lived in the district of Maxvorstadt.
Neighbours of the attacker told German media that he was a “quiet guy.”
6.51am BST
6.36am BST
There is a strong police presence on the streets of Munich.
6.03am BST
Germany’s legendary Bayreuth opera festival dedicated to the works of Richard Wagner opens on Monday, but Agence France-Presse reports that security fears and off-stage drama threaten to cast a long shadow over the 140-year-old event.
The curtain is due to go up just days after the Munich shootings and one week after five people were after injured in an axe attack on a Bavarian train in Würzburg that was claimed by Islamic State.
5.46am BST
In the wake of the attacks, German chancellor Angela Merkel is due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, interior minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials today to review the incident.
5.45am BST
Video has been posted on Twitter that appears to show the gunman being confronted by a man who asks him “What the fuck are you doing?”
Read more about the exchange here:
Related: 'I am German': Munich gunman took part in shouting match during attack
5.32am BST
4.41am BST
German and British papers have featured the Munich attack on their front pages:
Bloodbath in Munich. @BILD front page #tomorrowspaperstoday @AllieHBNews @suttonnick pic.twitter.com/B7JXsi6yio
Saturday's Independent: 'Where will it end?' #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/b4Ea4gjjHL
Saturday's Guardian: 'Europe stunned again by multiple shootings in Munich' #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ViyRYE20BJ
Tomorrow's front page: Terror in Munich #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/r94jFXVmaT
Saturday's Daily Telegraph: 'Manhunt after gun rampage on Munich shopping centre' #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/4FvPUGd7RW
4.28am BST
AP reports that survivors of the attack described terrifying scenes:
“We entered McDonald’s to eat ... then there was panic, and people ran out,” one woman told Bavarian public television. She said she heard three gunshots, “children were crying, people rushed to the exit in panic”.
3.53am BST
Wir werden gegen Mittag im Rahmen einer weiteren Pressekonferenz den Stand der Ermittlungen aktualisieren. #Schießerei #München #oez
3.52am BST
The shooting in Munich was a “disgusting terrorist attack” aimed at stirring up fear in Germany after France was targeted last week, French president François Hollande said early on Saturday, according to Reuters.
The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries,” Hollande said in a statement.
Germany will resist, it can count on France’s friendship and cooperation.”
3.45am BST
Munich police have thanked the city’s residents for their help.
#schießerei #münchen
Wir sind gerührt von der Hilfsbereitschaft der Münchner Bevölkerung. #offenetüren
Vielen Dank! #gemeinsamfürMünchen
Polizeipräsident Andrä bedankt sich bei den 2.300 Einsatzkräften für ihr Engagement und die Einsatzbereitschaft.#schießerei #münchen
3.30am BST
The shooting has echoes of the 1972 attack at the Munich Olympics and took place close to the former Olympic village.
Read more about the attack and how it unfolded on live television, here:
Related: From the archive: 6 September 1972: Munich on television
3.05am BST
Hello, it’s Bonnie Malkin taking over the blog now from Nicky. Around the world, flags are flying at half-mast for the victims of the Munich attack.
Flags at half mast for #Munich. Still waiting for a clearer picture of the entire situation. pic.twitter.com/3uQXjmm8QO
Flags at half mast outside our mission. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families tonight. #Munich. pic.twitter.com/J1bgKNB7QJ
To honor victims of attack in #Munich, City Hall will be lit with colors of the German flag tonight until July 25, NYC mayor’s office says.
2.27am BST
2.09am BST
Early in the events the media spokesman for the anti-immigrant party Alternative fuer Deutschland tweeted about the attack with an explicit message to “Vote AfD!”.
The tweet was subsequently deleted, but not before it was captured by Bastian Brauns, apparently a journalist with Die Zeit.
Netter Versuch @christianlueth.
Tweet löschen hilft Ihnen auch nicht weiter. Unfassbar. #München #Munich pic.twitter.com/bAf7HQuAm1
1.59am BST
An interesting tidbit from the press conference: a journalist asked a question about a “fake game” on Facebook that may have led people to believe the McDonalds where the attack took place was giving out free meals.
The police chief said they were aware of it but couldn’t say if it was in any way linked.
1.53am BST
He ends with thoughts and prayers to the families of the victims, and says there is “no more danger.”
1.49am BST
There are also teenagers among the dead, police chief Andra adds.
1.46am BST
The attacker had both German and Iranian citizenship, Andra says.
There are children among the injured, he says, and teenagers.
1.38am BST
The motive for the shooting, according to the police chief, remains “fully unclear” at this point.
1.32am BST
Asked about how many gunshots were fired and the type of weapon used in the shooting, Andra says that the investigation is still ongoing and they would not be releasing that information.
He says that the victims’ names would not be released until all of the families have been contacted.
1.29am BST
The gunman had lived in Munich for a long time, police chief Hubertus Andra tells the press conference, and had no previous criminal record.
1.23am BST
The attacker was an 18-year-old German of Iranian descent. His body was found at 8:30pm local time, having shot himself.
There were 10 dead, including the attacker, police say, and 21 wounded. There is no motive as yet.
1.09am BST
A quick summary of what we know so far before this press conference starts (it was set for approximately 2am local time – 1am BST, 8pm EDT – but it is running late).
12.59am BST
Munich police are urging people to stop publishing pictures of the victims.
This tweet says: “To all those who publish pictures of victims: STOP IT! Have respect for the suffering of the families.”
An alle, die Bilder von Opfern veröffentlichen: HÖRT AUF DAMIT!
Habt Respekt vor dem Leid der Angehörigen.#Schießerei #münchen
12.53am BST
Nicky Woolf here, taking over from Kevin Rawlinson.
We’re just under 10 minutes away from a press conference by the Munich police department. We expect them to give the all-clear and say that the gunman, who acted alone, is dead – they’ve already tweeted as much.
We found a man, who killed him himself.
We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich
Alle regulären öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel fahren wieder.#Schießerei #München
12.45am BST
I’m handing this live blog over to my colleague Nicky Woolf, who’ll update you from here on.
12.31am BST
Police are giving a “cautious all-clear”, saying they found one man in connection with the attack who took his own life. There is a “high probability” that he acted alone, officers say.
We found a man, who killed him himself.
We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich
12.19am BST
Munich police now say that there are 10 people dead, including one possible gunman after Saturday night’s shootings.
11.49pm BST
Unconfirmed reports in German media suggest that police have found a car thought to belong to a perpetrator; a mid-range vehicle that they have taken away for closer forensic inspection.
11.28pm BST
There were reports earlier in local media that about 20 people had been injured. Police have confirmed “at least 10” are injured but said the situation is still not clear:
We know of at least 10 injured persons. Police operations are still running. The Situation is still not clear.#gunfire #munich
11.25pm BST
Deutsche Bahn, the national rail operator, is allowing people to sleep in stationary night trains, and numerous mosques across Munich are staying open all night to offer shelter to those who have nowhere to go.
As Elena Cresci mentioned earlier, the hashtag #OffenTür (open door) is being used on Twitter to provide shelter to people.
11.19pm BST
Flags will fly at half mast on official buildings across Germany on Saturday. The country’s interior minister, Thomas de Maizière – currently flying back from New York – will head straight to Munich on Saturday morning to form his own impression of events.
11.14pm BST
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is to convene a meeting of the country’s security council on Saturday to address the shootings, her chief of staff Peter Altmaier has said.
He told ZDF public television that Merkel was being “constantly briefed” on developments. “The cabinet ministers concerned are on their way to Berlin,” he said.
11.00pm BST
The Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said his prayers are with those affected by the “horrible attacks”.
This cannot continue. The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilised people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores.
10.48pm BST
There are now unconfirmed reports in local media that about 20 people are injured; some of them very gravely. Earlier, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, said that local authorities were doing all they could to save lives.
10.43pm BST
Police are requesting that any photos or videos that could help them be sent in:
Important:
Please don't publish Fotos/Videos of #gunfire #Munich.
Please help us and send these files to us underhttps://t.co/29Df0qGgM6
10.35pm BST
Local media are putting out unconfirmed reports that a 15-year-old girl is among the dead and that injured children have been admitted to children’s hospitals in Munich.
10.26pm BST
Nice: Mosques in Munich open all night for everyone stuck because of road blocks https://t.co/Cc6KCTSd9l
10.25pm BST
A witness, Luan Zequiri, said he was at the scene when the shooting broke out near the McDonald’s restaurant.
He told the German broadcaster N-tv that he heard the attacker yell an anti-foreigner slur and “there was a really loud scream”.
10.18pm BST
According to local media, the ninth dead person is believed by police to be one of the killers. His body was found 45 minutes ago on a green stretch near the Olympia shopping centre; 1km away from the scene of the crime.
The veteran police reporter Oliver Bendixen told Tagesthemen that the body found was believed to be that of the perpetrator who opened fire in front of the McDonald’s restaurant.
10.00pm BST
Munich police are now adding that one person appears to have killed themselves. They are checking whether or not they are one of the attackers.
Il y a aussi un suicidant. On éprouve la complicité. #München, #oez, #schießerei
9.51pm BST
Peter Altmaier, Angela Merkel’s closest adviser, has just told the local TV programme Tagesthemen that no theories are being excluded.
He said the attack was terrible and the thoughts of the German chancellor were with the relatives of the victims. Altmaier added that the state of Bavaria and the federal government were working closely together to try to limit the number of deaths.
9.46pm BST
Asked if this was a terror attack, a police spokesman said: “If a man with a gun in a shopping centre opens fire and eight people are dead, we have to work on the assumption that this was not a normal crime and was a terrorist act.”
He confirmed that the police were looking for three perpetrators and said officers were getting support from elite units but have not found any weapons.
9.38pm BST
Police are now saying that there are nine people are dead. They do not know at this stage – but are checking – if the additional person is one of the gunmen.
9.33pm BST
Speaking at the United Nations in New York, Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, has said:
Everybody is shocked and saddened by what has taken place. Our thoughts are very much with the victims, their families, with the people of Munich, and the people of Germany more widely.
If, as seems very likely, this is another terrorist incident, then I think it proves once again that we have a global phenomenon now and a global sickness that we have to tackle both at source – in the areas where the cancer is being incubated in the Middle East – and also of course around the world.
9.30pm BST
Tagesthemen, the flagship evening TV news programme, has given the following emergency numbers:
Police information line - 089 2910 1910
Number for missing persons - 0800 77 66 350
9.30pm BST
“Sad news: the number of dead rises to eight,” say police in a tweet:
Sadly there are eight fatal casualties now.#gunfire #munich #oez
9.27pm BST
9.20pm BST
German interior minister Thomas de Maizière, who was on a flight to the United States for a holiday, is interrupting his trip and heading home, the DPA news agency reported.
Chancellery staff met on Friday evening to assess the situation in Munich but Chancellor Angela Merkel was not present, DPA said.
9.19pm BST
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has called the news from Munich “shocking”. He said: “My thoughts are with the people of the city at this time.”
Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice. -H
9.12pm BST
Facebook has set up a safety check for people to let their loved ones know they are OK.
And police have set up a hotline for people wanting to check on the status of family and friends:
Wichtige Tel-Nr
Die zentrale Auskunfts- und Vermisstenstelle für Angehörige (GAST) erreicht Ihr unter
0800 7766350#Schießerei #münchen #oez
9.05pm BST
Germany’s elite GSG 9 unit has flown in to Munich. Members – armed and masked but dressed otherwise unassumingly in T-shirts, trainers and shorts – were spotted alongside local police, who were on the scene within minutes of the first emergency call having been received.
Bavaria’s interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, and Bavaria’s prime minister, Horst Seehofer, were holding a crisis meeting this evening.
9.03pm BST
Cars on the autobahn into and out of Munich have been asked to leave it to free up the road for emergency vehicles.
Hospitals throughout Munich are on emergency alert with staff, including doctors, surgeons and nurses, having been called in to await any casualties.
8.36pm BST
#MUNICH UPDATE Significant slowdown in posts on IS-linked Telegram channels as news spread that the attack may be another group's handiwork.
A Munich police spokesman says there is no indication of Islamist terror.
8.32pm BST
German police have confirmed that there was a shooting in Hanauer Street, adjacent to the shopping centre. Six people have been killed and an unknown number injured.
“We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous,” a spokesman told reporters, adding that the police were looking for three perpetrators. “We are urging people to stay indoors.”
[1/1] Unknown number of injured victims - sadly there are six fatal casualties #gunfire #munich
[2/2] Other crime scenes than Hanauer Str. can not be confirmed #gunfire #munich
8.16pm BST
The Bavarian broadcaster BR is reporting that six people have been killed. This has not been officially confirmed by the authorities.
Police have said that, while they do not yet know the motive, terrorism is suspected.
8.07pm BST
The US president, Barack Obama, has pledged support for Germany.
We don’t yet know exactly what’s happening there, but obviously our hearts go out to those who may have been injured. We are going to pledge all the support they may need.
8.04pm BST
Two past atrocities involving marauding shooting attacks led western police and security forces to review their tactics and plans to deal with such events.
The first was the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, which began with marauding gunmen shooting their way across parts of the city popular with tourists. In that attack, the terrorists took hostages at three locations, before armed forces ended the siege. In the UK, weaponry and tactics for armed law enforcement were changed in response to Mumbai.
7.43pm BST
People are using the hashtag #offenetür to offer safe space to people in Munich.
7.34pm BST
Janek Schmidt is reporting for the Guardian at the scene in Munich. He spoke to Cansu Muyan, who lives near the Olympia shopping centre, who said she had been inside with her sister when the attack began. “I suddenly saw everyone running past. Then a shopkeeper told us all to leave as quickly as possible so we all started running as well.”
A man was weeping nearby, terrified because he could not reach his daughter who had been inside the mall at the time of the shooting.
7.33pm BST
Munich authorities have declared an emergency using the city’s smartphone warning system, Die Welt reports.
7.32pm BST
US citizens in #Munich advised to shelter in place. Media reports of shots fired at Olympia shopping mall: pic.twitter.com/DWRw6CGa7q
7.20pm BST
There are conflicting reports about whether gunmen are active only in the vicinity of the shopping centre or elsewhere in Munich. The latest police advice is as follows:
Unconfirmed reports of more violence and possible #gunfire in the City Center. Situation is unclear. Please avoid public Areas. #munich #oez
7.06pm BST
Police in Munich are saying that they have received reports from witnesses of three gunmen in the area surrounding the Olympia shopping centre. The witnesses said they saw gunmen in Hanauer Street and Ries Street.
They say that all available forces are being deployed but no one has been arrested. “Due to the unclear situation we ask all people in the metropolitan area to stay at home and those in nearby buildings to seek shelter.” Public transport is closed.
7.01pm BST
Here's a story with the original photo of the shooting in South Africa, not #Munich https://t.co/L88i6dkO69 pic.twitter.com/otYHQT7xDw
6.59pm BST
Some more details from Munich police. A spokeswoman has said: “We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage.
“We believe there was more than one perpetrator. The first reports came at 6pm, the shooting apparently began at a McDonald’s in the shopping centre. There are still people in the shopping centre. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them.”
6.54pm BST
The German interior ministry has confirmed three dead, according to local media.
Reports of shootings at Karlsplatz, Stachus and Odeonplatz are unconfirmed. Odeonplatz is around 7km away from the Olympia shopping centre. Either the same man who fled the shopping centre, or various perpetrators, are on the loose.
6.50pm BST
German police say they do not know where the attackers are and advises people to avoid public places.
Wir wissen derzeit nicht wo sich die Täter befinden.Passt auf Euch auf und meidet nach wie vor die Öffentlichkeit #oez #münchen #schießerei
6.48pm BST
The shooting began at a McDonald’s restaurant, a police spokeswoman has told the local BR24 news outlet, and it is not yet known whether there were one or more attackers.
Video footage seen by the Guardian also appears to show a man shooting outside a McDonald’s restaurant.
6.47pm BST
The British Foreign Office has issued an alert warning British citizens in Munich to follow the instructions of the authorities.
“There are reports of an incident at the Munich Olympia shopping centre. You are advised to avoid this location and follow the advice of local authorities,” it said in updated travel advice on Germany.
6.41pm BST
Police are now also asking people not to post images or videos of the police operation online, in order to avoid helping any attacker:
Bitte keine Fotos/Filme von polizeilichen Maßnahmen online stellen. Unterstützt nicht die Täter! #oez #Schießerei #münchen
6.40pm BST
6.39pm BST
Police are warning people to “avoid public places in Munich. The situation is still unclear”.
Meiden Sie öffentliche Plätze in #München. Die Lage ist noch unübersichtlich. #oez #Schießerei
6.38pm BST
This unverified footage from a Twitter user appears to show people running from a shopping centre in the German city of Munich on Friday evening after a gunman opened fire in the building. The building, located in the district of Moosach, was evacuated amid a major police operation:
6.38pm BST
The Merkur local newspaper reports that the alleged attacker may have opened fire in three places, possibly including Munich’s large Stachus square.
6.37pm BST
The Guardian has seen video footage believed to have been taken at the Munich shopping centre showing a gunman firing at people running.
6.36pm BST
Some more reliable information coming in from police now.
A spokeswoman has said that multiple people have been killed and wounded in the shooting, Reuters reported. “We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage,” a police spokeswoman said, adding she believed more than one shooter was involved. Police were still evacuating the mall, she added.
6.31pm BST
Süddeutsche Zeitung is reporting that at least one person has been killed and 10 injured. Still no confirmation from police.
According to Germany’s DPA news agency, police “expect multiple dead”.
6.22pm BST
Staff in the shopping centre where shooting broke out are still hiding, an employee has told Reuters by telephone.
NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene.
Lage am #OEZ mit #Schießerei ist aktuell noch unübersichtlich. Es gab mehrere Verletzte. Sobald wir mehr haben gibt es weitere Infos.
6.19pm BST
An emergency call was received at 6pm local time after a man opened fire in a drugstore in the Olympia shopping centre in the Moosach district of the southern German city.
A police spokeswoman told German media: “We believe this is a big incident.”
Stehe vor dem #OEZ pic.twitter.com/qOkJO5YrYP
6.18pm BST
6.17pm BST
German police special forces have arrived on the scene, the local TV station NTV says.
6.09pm BST
“Many shots were fired,” an employee inside the Munich shopping centre has told the Reuters news agency.
6.06pm BST
Germany’s Muencher Abendzeitung is reporting that several people have been killed. Again, police have not officially confirmed any casualty figures.
6.04pm BST
The security consulting firm Kronos Advisory has the following:
#MUNICH News of events in Germany is beginning to spread on IS-linked Telegram channels pic.twitter.com/6ZfsSQmsiZ
5.58pm BST
Suddeutsche Zeitung cites a police spokesperson as saying several people have been killed and more injured in the shootout at the Olympia shopping mall.
The paper said a large police operation was under way and that police were “assuming there was just a single perpetrator”.
5.51pm BST
Police are telling people to stay clear of the Olympia shopping centre in Munich.
Im Moment haben wir einen großen Polizeieinsatz am OEZ. Bitte meiden Sie den Bereich um das Einkaufszentrum.
5.49pm BST
German police are evacuating a shopping centre in Munich after receiving reports that shots were fired, and a major police operation is under way in the city.
Continue reading...