German police still do not know the motive for the attack on a Jehovah’s Witnesses church on Thursday March 9 in Hamburg, which killed eight people. The alleged perpetrator of the shooting was himself a former member of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He killed himself.
With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibault
Eight dead including the author of the attack and a seven-month-old fetus. Eight injured, four seriously. This is the report of the shooting last night in a center of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Hamburg that the authorities communicated during a press conference. The presence of police special forces nearby who interrupted the attack may have prevented an even heavier toll.
The perpetrator of the attack fled into the building before committing suicide. He had numerous ammunition on him and hundreds were found at his home. Philipp F. had a legal gun license.
► To read also: Several dead in shooting at Jehovah’s Witness center in Hamburg
To many debates…
An anonymous letter evoking his psychological problems had led to a check at his home last month. The police did not believe that sufficient evidence existed to warrant further investigation. This information will no doubt spark a lot of debate.
Philipp F. is a former member of this community of Jehovah’s Witnesses which he left a year and a half ago. According to the authorities, he harbored an aversion to this community. A political or terrorist motive is a priori excluded. Investigators may later be able to learn more about the exact motives of Philipp F.