Father kills FDP local politician and his mother
Family Tragedy in Baden-Württemberg's Albstadt: A 63-year-old shoots his son and his mother. Wife and daughter are severely injured. The shooter turns the gun on himself in the end. The police respond with a large deployment.
Dozens of patrol cars race over the federal highway towards Albstadt. Sirens can be heard, helicopters hover over the city on the Swabian Alb. A few minutes later, police discover a grim scene in a residential house: They find three dead bodies and two seriously injured individuals.
According to statements from the prosecutor and the police, the victims were two men and a woman. Among them was the alleged perpetrator, a 63-year-old German hunter. The two injured women suffered gunshot wounds. Helicopters transported them to hospitals.
Preliminary investigations suggest this was not a rampage. Investigators suspect an internal family matter. No evidence of third-party involvement has been found yet. According to "Bild" newspaper, the two deceased victims were the 24-year-old son and the 84-year-old mother of the shooter. The 59-year-old wife and the 26-year-old daughter were reportedly seriously injured. The father was found dead in the garden of the house. He is believed to have shot himself. The weapon was secured.
Special forces arrive with a helicopter
The crime scene is in a residential area in Lautlingen - a district of Albstadt with 1,800 residents. Several residents reported gunfire to the police via the emergency hotline around 12:30 pm on Sunday. Shortly afterwards, a large police and emergency response team was on its way to the house. A helicopter deployed a special operations team.
The residential area was soon filled with officers: According to eyewitness reports, there were 30 to 40 patrol cars and numerous emergency responders on site. Police officers with helmets, vests, and machine pistols secured the area around the crime scene. Criminal technicians and investigators from the criminal police secured evidence and clues.
The investigations into the exact sequence of events and the background are ongoing, according to the investigators. There is also no information yet on the motive of the alleged perpetrator. However, it is indicated where he may have obtained the weapon: The 63-year-old was reportedly a hunter. Whether the weapon used in the crime was one of the weapons he legally possessed for hunting is part of the investigation.
Albstadt is a small city in the Zollernalbkreis and has approximately 46,000 female and male inhabitants. The city is located on the Swabian Alb, roughly 85 kilometers south of Stuttgart and about 60 kilometers north of Lake Constance.
The international media is showing considerable interest in the Family Tragedy in Baden-Württemberg, given its unusual circumstances. Despite the disturbing incident, it's crucial that the grieving family receives support and privacy during this difficult time, as they navigate their way through this international spotlight.
Following the tragedy, local authorities in Baden-Württemberg have emphasized the importance of mental health services and resources, recognizing that such incidents can have far-reaching impacts not just on the immediate family, but also on the wider community.
