8 dead in shooting at German Jehovah's Witness hall, including suspected gunman
Police in Hamburg, Germany, say a gunman killed seven people at a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall on Thursday night, then evidently killed himself. They offered no motive for the shooting, which also seriously wounded several people gathered for a religious service. Germany's Der Spiegel said the suspected gunman was a former Jehovah's Witness age 30 to 40. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a mayor of Hamburg until 2018, called the shooting "a brutal act of violence."
David Semonian, a spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses, said early Friday that the church's 8.7 million members "worldwide grieve for the victims of this traumatic event." There are about 170,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany, where Hamburg is the second-biggest city. "The congregation elders in the local area are providing pastoral care for those affected by the event," Semonian said in his statement.
German gun laws are stricter than in the U.S., "but permissive compared to some European neighbors, and shootings are not unheard of," The Associated Press reports. "Currently, anyone wanting to acquire a firearm must show that they are suited to do so, including by proving that they require a gun." Jehovah's Witnesses are known for knocking on doors and distributing literature in public areas, and the U.S.-based "denomination's practices include a refusal to bear arms, receive blood transfusions, salute a national flag, or participate in secular government," AP adds.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - September 7, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - football widows, meddling kids, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Smoking ban: the return of the nanny state?
Talking Point Starmer's plan to revive Sunak-era war on tobacco has struck an unsettling chord even with some non-smokers
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: September 7, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Vatican's stand on gender-affirming care
Speed Read A new published document condemns gender transition, calling it a threat to human dignity
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The United Methodist Church has lost 20% of U.S. congregations in schism over LGBTQ rules
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Pope Francis investigates Texas bishop, accepts early resignation of embattled Tennessee prelate
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Southern Baptists expel Saddleback, 2nd church over female pastors, approve further clampdown
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Thousands flock to Missouri to see body of nun who died in 2019
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Report finds nearly 2,000 kids abused by Catholic clergy in Illinois over decades
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Pope Francis is involved in 'mission' to bring peace to Ukraine
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Jewish-Muslim tensions boil over in Jerusalem
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published