Ex-boyfriend shoots teen in Germany school attack, kills man who tried to stop him
A 19-year-old man opened fire at a school in Gosen-Neu Zittau, Brandenburg, on Thursday, shooting his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend and killing a 30-year-old man who attempted to intervene. Police later detained the suspect.
The 18-year-old victim is a secondary school student. Authorities have not yet disclosed the full extent of her injuries or explained why the suspect targeted her. It also remains unclear whether the 19-year-old had any connection to the school.
According to the East Police Directorate, emergency services were alerted at around 1:45 p.m. after receiving reports of an active shooter. A large police operation was launched, with officers securing the school grounds and searching the area for the suspect.
The second victim, a 30-year-old man, reportedly attempted to stop the attacker. He was shot during the confrontation and later died from his injuries. His intervention turned a violent attack into an even more tragic scene, with authorities now investigating exactly how the confrontation unfolded.
Firefighters, ambulances and rescue helicopters were dispatched to the school as police dealt with the emergency. Screens were erected in the schoolyard to shield the scene and protect the privacy of students, staff and victims.
The shooting took place at a campus operated by the Docemus Privatschulen (Docemus Private Schools) in Neu Zittau. The campus, which opened in 2008, offers several forms of education, including a Gymnasium (academic secondary school), a secondary school and a vocational high school.
Police have not yet revealed the motive for the shooting or provided further details about the relationship between the suspect and his former girlfriend. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack, while authorities have not indicated that there is any further danger to the public.