The shooter barricaded himself inside but was shot dead by police, say reports.
The shooter barricaded himself inside but was shot dead by police, say reports.
A masked man with a gun and ammunition belt opened fire in a cinema complex in the small western German town of Viernheim, near Frankfurt, injuring between 20 and 50 people and barricaded himself inside, German media reported on Thursday.
The gunman has been shot dead by the police, according to Reuters.
Bild daily and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that elite police were at the scene. According to the newspaper, the man entered the Kinopolis complex at about 3pm, and fired four shots.
The Darmstaedter Echo said 20 to 50 people had been injured. Bild claimed that the police had sealed off the area and it was tear gas that had caused the injuries.
According to police, there is a -"threat situation-" at the movie theater in a town in southwestern Germany which 'probably involves a weapon'.
Police spokeswoman Christiane Kobus said she couldn't give further details of what was happening at the Kinopolis movie theater in the town of Viernheim.
The motive of the gunman was so far unclear, Frankfurter Allgemeine reported, saying that several scenarios were being considered including a botched robbery, as well as a political or an ideological cause.
(This story originally appeared in the deccan Chronicle as may the case be)
