Berlin: Five people were killed in a shooting on Monday at a youth welfare facility in the northern German town of Stade, law enforcement officials said. Authorities arrested two individuals, including the suspected gunman.

The incident also resulted in injuries, police said, though they did not provide a specific casualty count.

Police stated the shooting occurred within the facility located on Dankersstrasse, a roadway situated south of the town centre. Officials emphasised that there was no ongoing danger to the general public.

Of the two suspects taken into custody, one is believed to have discharged the weapon. Investigators said they are currently working to determine the motive behind the shooting and reconstruct the exact sequence of events.

Germany’s firearm regulations are significantly more restrictive than those in the U.S., and mass shootings remain infrequent though not unprecedented.

Stade has a population of approximately 50,000 residents and is situated roughly 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Hamburg.