An armed man breaks into a school, students and teachers barricade themselves in classrooms. A woman is critically injured. The background remains unclear.
After the attack in a high school, in which a school employee was critically injured, the investigation will continue this Friday.
A 21-year-old is said to have shot the employee at the school in Bremerhaven with a crossbow. Shortly after the attack, police arrested the suspect near the scene of the crime. He is accused of attempted murder. According to the police, the murder weapon was confiscated, as were a starter gun and two knives. The Bremerhaven district court issued an arrest warrant against the 21-year-old on Thursday evening, and according to the police, he was taken to a prison.
The investigators assume a single perpetrator. They searched several objects on Thursday to find out more about the motive of the alleged violent criminal. The 21-year-old was initially silent about the attack. According to the investigators, the victim is an older employee of the Lloyd Gymnasium. The police and public prosecutor’s office did not initially provide any further information.
Students have to endure for hours
The man entered the school building around 9:15 a.m. Thursday. According to the authorities, around 140 students and teachers were in the school at the time of the crime. There were high school exams coming up, so comparatively few young people were present. While special forces searched the building after the act of violence, some of the students had to stay in their classrooms for several hours.
As the city of Bremerhaven announced, there will be pastoral offers at both locations of the affected high school this Friday. Regular classes do not take place. Pupils, parents and school staff are recommended to take advantage of the opportunity to talk, but it is not mandatory. The care of the children and young people at the usual times will be ensured.