Five killed in shooting in German town of Stade

Five people have been killed and several others injured in a shooting in the northern German town of Stade, police said. The incident has left five people dead and several others injured, CNN reported on Monday. Police said five people were killed and several others were injured in a shooting at a youth welfare center in the northern German town of Stade. They have arrested two suspects, including the alleged attacker. The incident is under investigation.The area is currently safe and there is no threat to the public. Police told CNN that they are asking the public to avoid the area.“The city authorities operate a daycare center and a primary school right next to where the shooting took place,” said local councilor Kirsten Brockelmann.“We are relieved that all the staff and children at our daycare center and primary school are safe and sound, and I would like to thank the police officers for their service in these chaotic circumstances,” she said in a statement. “At the same time, our deepest condolences go out to the victims and their families in this terrible incident,” Brockelmann said. Police have warned that unverified information about the incident has been published online and have urged the public not to spread rumors, as this could hinder the investigation. Stade, about 45 kilometers (27 miles) west of Hamburg, is a historic town of about 50,000 people.Mass shootings are rare in Germany. The country has strict gun ownership laws and requires a license. To get a permit to own a gun, residents must prove their reliability, take a training course and test, and prove the need to carry the weapon.According to German government data, about 929,000 people in this country of 83 million people own more than 3 million guns.