German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered his sympathies after a shooting at a shelter for mothers and children in Stade, near Hamburg, left six people dead. Police arrested a 45-year-old German-born man of Turkish descent and detained two others; they have not disclosed a motive, though Spiegel reported the incident likely stemmed from personal reasons rather than ideology. In a social media post, Merz described the event as deeply troubling and noted that many of the victims were individuals whose aim was to care for and safeguard others. He also commended law enforcement for their swift response. Authorities later confirmed no ongoing threat to the public.