Two People Killed In Shooting At German Mercedes Benz Factory

Two people were killed in a shooting at a Mercedes Benz factory in southwest Germany on Thursday, while the perpetrators were arrested by security forces and handed over to police, prompting Berlin to tighten firearms laws.

The suspect, 53, opened fire on the victims before security officers at the scene in the southern German city of Sindelfingen, detained him and handed him over to police, police and local prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The production site - with a workforce of 35,000 people - was evacuated after the shooting, which occurred after the suspect entered the location at 7:45 am (05:45 GMT), police and prosecutor Stuttgart said.

The suspect did not fight back when he was arrested, they said. Meanwhile, the two victims who died who were 44 years old died from their injuries.

It said Mercedes-Benz produced its flagship S-Class luxury sedan at the Sindelfingen plant, which is located about 17 km (10.6 miles) southwest of Stuttgart.

The company said the gunman and the two victims were part of an external service provider.

"We are very surprised and saddened by this tragic news," Mercedes said in a statement, adding that there is no longer any danger to local residents or workers at the factory.

This incident is the latest in a number of mass shootings in Germany in recent years, most of which are linked to extremism. However, investigators have yet to determine the motive for Thursday's shooting.

Meanwhile, the German government has pledged to tighten the law on possession of firearms after a gunman opened fire on people gathered in the hall of its dead witnesses in Hamburg in March, killing six people.

Home Secretary Nancy Faeser said after the attack, the government would review its gun laws. Social Democrats, her party and Chancellor Olaf Scholz's party, have pushed for tighter restrictions, and German police unions are also calling for quick legislative responses to limit the number of weapons available.

It is known, Germany banned certain major magazines in 2020 and conducted a five-year examination of gun owners, to ascertain whether their gun possession was justified.

In 2012, a shooting at a 3M technology company factory site in the western German city of Hilden killed one person and injured four others.