Update: A 17-year-old former student of a German secondary school went on a shooting spree March 11, killing 15 people before being killed in a shootout with police.
Tim Kretschmer was dressed in black military garb when at about 9:45 a.m. local time he broke into the Albertville-Realschule Winnenden school and began firing upon three classrooms. Nine students and three teachers – all but one were females – were shot and died. At least five others were injured. The school shooting lasted about two minutes before police arrived, but their quick response is credited with preventing further bloodshed at the campus.
Kretschmer then escaped on foot and killed a person working in a local hospital. He then carjacked a vehicle, taking the driver hostage. The driver escaped, however, when the gunman crashed the car after driving about 40 kilometers. Police soon were able to confront Kretschmer. During the exchange, two more bystanders were killed and two police officers were seriously injured. The gunman was then killed in the ensuing shootout with police.
Kretschmer graduated from the school in 2008. According to the German newspaper Suddeustche Zeitung, he gave no indication of being troubled.
According to the German newspaper Bild, his parents are wealthy and own 14 weapons. Authorities suspect Kretschmer used one of his parents’ guns during the shooting spree. The country has very strict gun laws.
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