Germany: Gunman opens fire at police near Israeli consulate in Munich on 1972 Olympic attack anniversary
No injuries reported and the gunman has been shot dead
Munich: German police shot dead a gunman on Thursday who had opened fire at them near central Munich's Nazi-era documentation centre and the Israeli consulate, the Bavarian interior minister said.
"Police responded with armed force against the perpetrator, who was carrying a rifle and had fired a number of shots," said state interior minister Joachim Herrmann, adding that the gunman had died of his wounds.
Earlier, Munich police wrote on social media platform X that “police officers saw a person who appeared to be carrying a firearm. The officers used their service weapons and the person was hit and injured.”
“There are currently no reports of any other people injured” and “no indications of any other suspects”, they added.
Police did not specify any other details, including whether the incident was believed to be related to the nearby historical centre or diplomatic mission.
The Munich Documentation Center for the History of National Socialism is located on the site of the former Nazi party headquarters and close to Israel’s consulate in the southern German city.
Media pointed out that the incident took place on the anniversary of the 1972 massacre of Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympic Games at the hands of Palestinian militants.
A police helicopter was in the sky above the area and the sound of police sirens blared through the streets.
The Bild daily showed pictures of armed police wearing helmets and body armour in the downtown area.
Police advised the public that a large number of police were “on their way to the site of operations in the area of the NS Documentation Centre”.
“To ensure that they can work without hindrance, we ask that you avoid this area as much as possible.”