Germany shooting – Man and woman dead as cops hunt gunman on the loose who opened fire in town centre
A MANHUNT is underway after a man and a woman were shot dead and a third seriously injured in Germany today.
Police commandos swarmed on the town of Espelkamp, around 50 miles from Hanover, searching for the gunman who is said to be armed and on the loose.
Police in Espelkamp are hunting for a gunman on the loose who reportedly killed a man and a woman[/caption] German authorities have locked down much of the city[/caption] Police forces from across North Rhine-Westphalia have come together to hunt down the gunman[/caption]German newspaper Bild initially cited police as saying that the situation appeared to be a case of someone “running amok” in the centre of the western town of Espelkamp.
Police sealed off the town centre, firearms officers are scouring the streets for the perpetrator who is assumed to be armed.
Heavily-armed police commandos were at the scene, with initial reports saying one person had been killed in an apparent “act of jealousy”, the Mirror writes.
Later police confirmed that a second person had died.
There are reportedly two crime scenes, with one person said to have been shot in front of a house, the other in a side street near the house, reports German broadcaster, Westdeutscher Rundfunk.
A third was seriously injured in Espelkamp town centre.
Police are unable to say whether gunman knew his victims.
Law enforcement no longer believe the incident is an active rampage, according German outlet Welt.
The Westfalen-Blatt report that police forces from across North Rhine-Westphalia were drawn to hunt for the fugitive.
Emergency services have arrived at the scenes of the murders while forensic teams have been dispatched the scour the areas for evidence.
Large part of the city remain in lockdown.
According to unconfirmed reports from WDR, police have arrested a man in Diepenau, Lower Saxony.
More to follow.