A 45-year-old Turkish-born man shot and killed six people Monday at a child welfare facility in Stade, Germany, after sh...

A 45-year-old Turkish-born man shot and killed six people Monday at a child welfare facility in Stade, Germany, after showing up for a scheduled custody meeting about his three-month-old daughter. Police arrived to what the head of the Lüneburg Police, Katrin Schwol, described as a "horrific scene," with four victims already dead on arrival. A fifth died during resuscitation efforts and a sixth died later at the hospital. All six victims, four women and two men, were employees of either the welfare facility or the child protection office. The infant and her 34-year-old mother were unharmed. The mother is currently in custody and being questioned by police, while the baby is being cared for by the welfare office. According to German public broadcasters NDR and WDR, the suspect had been flagged for behavioral problems and his daughter had been removed from the family home. The child had been placed with her mother at the Stade facility rather than returned to the family home in Hanover. Authorities say the motive appears to be the custody dispute over his daughter. The suspect attempted to flee in a car driven by a 65-year-old woman described as having a very close relationship with his family. Police stopped the vehicle quickly and arrested both occupants at the scene. Investigators believe the suspect is connected to a large family clan based in Hanover. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the news from Stade "deeply shocking," saying those who died had lost their lives while trying to help and protect others in need. The Interior Minister of Lower Saxony described the attack as "cold and violent," and confirmed there are no indications of a political or terrorist motive. Police have seized the weapon and are still investigating how the suspect obtained it. #Germany #Stade #ChildWelfare