Gunwoman kills four in Germany

Four people have died after a shooting rampage that began in an apartment block and ended in a hospital in soutwestern Germany. Witnesses heard shots as well as an explosion from the housing complex in the town of Loerrach, Baden-Wuerttemberg, police said on Sunday. The bodies of a five-year-old boy, believed to be the woman's son, and a middle-aged man, thought to be her ex-partner, were found at the scene. Gunwoman kills four in Germany Police later said that the woman - a 43-year-old lawyer - had caused an explosion, possibly using a fire accelerant, at the house. It remained unclear whether the man and boy had died as a result of the blast or the shooting. Loerrach prosecutor Dieter Inhofer told public television broadcaster ZDF that the woman had been seen running from the apartments into the neighboring Saint Elisabeth hospital, apparently armed with a gun. She was then reported to have opened fire in the maternity and children's unit. In the course of the shooting, a male nurse was among those fatally wounded while an off-duty policeman was seriously injured. Police shot the woman dead during a shootout. A police spokeswoman said that officers reached the scene within 10 minutes of an emergency call that was logged at about 6.15pm local time. He added that hospital patients had been traumatized by the events and were in need of counseling.

Gunwoman kills four in Germany

Police later said that the woman - a 43-year-old lawyer - had caused an explosion, possibly using a fire accelerant, at the house. It remained unclear whether the man and boy had died as a result of the blast or the shooting.

Loerrach prosecutor Dieter Inhofer told public television broadcaster ZDF that the woman had been seen running from the apartments into the neighboring Saint Elisabeth hospital, apparently armed with a gun. She was then reported to have opened fire in the maternity and children's unit.

In the course of the shooting, a male nurse was among those fatally wounded while an off-duty policeman was seriously injured. Police shot the woman dead during a shootout.

A police spokeswoman said that officers reached the scene within 10 minutes of an emergency call that was logged at about 6.15pm local time.

He added that hospital patients had been traumatized by the events and were in need of counseling.