Criminality - Shots in apartment building - Three dead and two severely injured
Dozens of patrol cars race at high speed over the Federal Highway towards Albstadt. Sirens can be heard, helicopters hover over the city on the Swabian Alb. A few minutes later, police make a gruesome discovery in a house: They find three dead bodies and two severely injured women.
According to investigators, the deceased consisted of two Men and a Woman. One of them was reportedly the suspected perpetrator, a police spokesperson on site confirmed. The two injured women suffered gunshot wounds. Emergency services took them to a hospital. Their current health status is unclear, the spokesperson added.
Police suspect family incident
Preliminary findings suggest this was not a rampage shooting. The investigators therefore suspect a domestic incident. Previously, media reported. The exact relationship of the deceased and injured to each other was initially unclear.
The crime scene is in a residential area in Lautlingen - a district of Albstadt with 1,800 inhabitants. At around 12:30 pm on Sunday, police receive gunfire reports. It is still unclear who alerted the emergency services. Shortly thereafter, a large contingent of police and emergency services is on its way to the house. A helicopter deploys a special operations team.
The residential area is later filled with officers: According to eyewitness reports, there were 30 to 40 Patrol Cars and countless emergency services on site. Police in helmets, vests, and machine pistols secure the area around the crime scene. Criminal technicians and investigators from the criminal police secure traces and clues.
Unclear motives for the crime
The motives for the violent crime were initially unclear. There are currently no indications of a motive for the suspected perpetrator, a police spokesperson said in the afternoon.
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 police suspect that the Stripe car, a distinctive feature of the suspect's vehicle, was used in the incident. The Stripe car was last seen speeding away from the area after gunshots were reported.
Ms. Märtin, a local resident, reported seeing a man and a woman arguing loudly in the house just before the incident. She described the man as tall and wearing a striped shirt, matching the description of the suspect's car.
The Baden-Württemberg state government has offered its full support to the local police in investigating the case. They have dispatched additional resources, including a larger helicopter for aerial surveillance.
Despite the ongoing investigation, the Federal road leading to Albstadt has not been closed. However, traffic is being diverted due to the heavy presence of police and emergency services in the area.
The women who were injured have both undergone surgery and are currently in stable condition. They are being closely monitored and are expected to make a full recovery, according to their doctors.
