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Gunman 'shot dead' after hostage situation at German cinema complex
A gunman has been shot dead by police after taking hostages at a cinema complex in western Germany.
Reports suggested the gunman opened fire in the complex before taking hostages and barricading himself inside.
Initial reports suggested between 20 and 50 were injured during the incident in the small western German town of Viernheim, near Frankfurt, although it is believed they were suffering from the effects of tear gas.
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Gunman's death 'inevitable', German authorities say
- ITV News report by Paul Davies
The death of a gunman who took hostages at a cinema in Viernheim near Frankfurt was "inevitable", German authorities have said.
Ministers have said that the gunman seemed "disturbed" but German police acted swiftly because they believed he had hostages.
Initial reports said that a gunman had injured members of the public, but later it was revealed that the only casualty was the gunman himself.
'No-one injured' in cinema hostage incident
An attack by a gunman who took hostages at a German cinema complex left no-one injured other than the shooter, authorities have said.
State interior minister said Peter Beuth that no bystanders had been hurt after special forces shot dead the gunman this afternoon.
German newspaper Bild had earlier said that 25 people were thought to have been affected by tear gas deployed during the incident.
Mr Beuth said the as-yet-unnamed attacker was a "disturbed man" in comments to the state parliament this afternoon.
He said the man was armed with a rifle-type "long gun" during the incident in Viernheim, near Frankfurt.
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Gunman 'dead' following German cinema shooting
A masked gunman who attacked a German cinema complex has been shot dead at the scene, German media have reported.
The man with a gun and ammunition belt is said to have holed himself up in the complex after opening fire at 3pm this afternoon.
He was killed by police who stormed the building, a spokesman told NTV television station. The police spokesman said the attacker had taken hostages.
Between 20 and 50 people were reported to have been injured in the incident, although none are thought to have been shot. Bild reported that the gunman had fired in the air and 25 people were hurt by tear gas.
'Many wounded' after gunman attacks German cinema
Between 20 and 50 people have been wounded after a masked gunman opened fire at a cinema before barricading himself in, German media have reported.
The man armed with a gun and ammunition belt entered the Kinopolis cinema complex in the town of Viernheim, west Germany, according to Bild newspaper.
He opened fire at around 3pm before holing himself upside the building, according to reports.
Elite police are on their way to the scene, the Bild daily and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung both reported.