Germany: father seeking custody of 3-month-old infant murders 6 people at mother-child protection facility

An armed father, who was engaged in a court dispute over custody of his three-month-old daughter, killed six people and injured another at a mother-child protection facility in the city of Stade, near Hamburg, Germany, on Monday, June 29, 2026. According to Lüneburg police chief Kathrin Schuol, the perpetrator had a scheduled appointment that day, along with several of the victims, to discuss future custody arrangements for his daughter. The infant and her mother were on the premises at the time of the attack but were not injured by gunfire. The victims — four women and two men — were all child protection workers and were shot "in a brutal manner," police said. A seventh person was injured but is in stable condition. The center includes temporary housing for pregnant women or new mothers with children.

The perpetrator attempted to flee in a car driven by a 55-year-old woman, reportedly connected to his family, but was arrested after a brief chase. Both are currently in custody. The suspect had made threats in the past and was already known to police, who, however, had not assessed him as a dangerous individual. He did not hold a firearms license, and it remains unclear how he obtained the weapon. He resides in Hanover, about 200 kilometers south of Stade. The girl's mother told police, after the attack, that she was no longer in a relationship with the suspect.