Six dead after gunman shoots staff at mothers' centre in Germany

Mon Sep 07 2026 11:48:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 45‑year‑old suspect shot six staff members at a centre for mothers and children in Stade, north‑western Germany, as a custody dispute escalated.

A tragic shooting at a mothers’ centre in Stade, Germany, left six staff members dead and several others wounded. The gunman, a Turkish‑born German resident, was in a custody dispute over his three‑month‑old daughter and had an appointment at the facility that day. Police swiftly closed the area and detained the suspect. Authorities ruled the attack as a personal, family‑motivated act with no political motives. The incident underscores the tensions that can arise in child‑custody disputes.

At about 12:10 a.m. local time, gunfire erupted inside a centre for mothers and children in the small German town of Stade, killing six staff members and wounding several others.

The victims—four women and two men—were all employees of the facility. A third‑month‑old baby and her mother, who were working in the office at the time, were unharmed.

The suspect, a 45‑year‑old Turkish national born in Germany, was living in Hanover and had an appointment at the centre earlier that day to discuss the custody of his daughter. Police say he had a history of threatening remarks but was not deemed a violent individual prior to the shooting.

After the shots were fired, the gunman fled in a car driven by a woman. Police blocked a nearby country road, fired on the vehicle, and detained the occupants, who were then transported to the hospital. Three people, including the gunman, have been arrested, and there is no further threat to the public.

Authorities describe the attack as “cold‑blooded family violence” and rule out any political or economic motives. The incident has left the community shaken; children who attended a nearby daycare and primary school have reportedly been picked up by their parents.