Mass Shooting in Heidelberg

The following article appeared several days ago, but I’m just getting to it now. The incident it describes took place on Monday, January 24 at Heidelberg University. The shooter was later identified as one Nikolai G. According to the wiki on the shooting, the 18-year-old was a member of a neo-Nazi organization.

Many thanks to Hellequin GB for translating this article from the German-language service of Epoch Times:

“We are all shocked” — Two dead, three injured in rampage in Heidelberg

A large-scale police operation is underway on the university campus in Heidelberg. A man is said to have shot a student and injured three other people. The attacker is now dead.

A man shot and killed a student during a rampage during a lecture at the University of Heidelberg. Security circles in Baden-Württemberg confirmed the death of the young woman to the AFP news agency on Monday.

According to the police, three other people were injured by shots, some seriously. The attacker is also dead. According to security circles he committed suicide.

The police announced further information on the crime for Monday evening; the public prosecutor took over the lead in the investigation. At first, investigators did not want to confirm the student’s death. In addition, they did not confirm that the attacker died by suicide.

The police initially gave no further information on the biography of the alleged gunman and the origin of his weapon. The investigators seem to rule out religious motives — the police wrote on Twitter in a dialogue with a user that religion played no role in the relevant details of the crime.

Gunshots during an ongoing lecture

As is known so far, the attacker fired several shots in the lecture hall during an ongoing lecture. After the attack, the alleged attacker, armed with a long gun, fled to the outside of the university.

There he committed suicide. The police assume it was a lone perpetrator. Security forces said that all the more detailed circumstances and the previously known information about the shooter speak for it.

The crime scene is in the Neuenheimer Feld area. There the police triggered a large-scale operation. However, after the attacker’s death, there was no longer a dangerous situation. The on-site investigations were in full swing; the police also activated a citizen phone line.

The campus in the Neuenheim district on the northern bank of the Neckar is primarily home to the university’s natural science faculties, parts of the university hospital and the botanical garden.

Federal Minister of Justice expresses horror

Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) said his thoughts were with the victims and local people. “Thank you to the emergency services for their service,” he said.

Heidelberg Mayor Eckart Würzner (independent) said: “We are all shocked and appalled by the killing spree that took place in Neuenheimer Feld today. The heart of science of the city of Heidelberg beats on this campus.”

The fact that a violent criminal would break into this world and seriously injure people stunned him and the entire city. “I would like to thank all emergency services for their quick action. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims,” said Würzner.