Shots were fired near the Nazi Documentation Centre and the Israeli Consulate General in Munich on Thursday morning, leading to a deadly exchange of fire with the police.
According to Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, the suspect was stopped and fatally injured on the spot after he fired several shots around 9 am.
"Police responded with armed force against the perpetrator, who was carrying a rifle and had fired a number of shots," said the minister, adding that the gunman had died of his wounds.
READ ALSO: Vienna terror threat: What does it mean for concerts and other big events?
Munich police have since issued an all-clear, confirming there is no longer any danger to the public.
Austrian suspect with ties to extremism Islam
Austria's Der Standard and Germany's Spiegel reported that the suspect was previously known to the authorities due to alleged connections to Islamist extremism. The reports also said that the suspect was a young Austrian and that the car he used to travel to the scene had number plates registered in the Salzburg area.
Germany's Spiegel earlier said, citing the investigators' initial findings, that "the suspected perpetrator was a man between 20 and 30 years old of Central European appearance."
Police later confirmed that the suspect was an 18-year-old with Austrian citizenship.
Five police officers were involved in the shootout, but none were injured. While details about the motive remain unclear, authorities have disclosed that the suspect used a long gun, believed to be an older model bolt-action rifle.
Police have not yet confirmed the perpetrator's identity or more information on their background.
The area surrounding the crime scene was extensively cordoned off, and a police helicopter was deployed to monitor the situation. Authorities have confirmed no indications of additional suspects or any other individuals injured.
The nearby Israeli Consulate General reported that no staff members were harmed during the incident. The consulate had been closed at the time of the attack following a memorial service for the victims of the 1972 Munich Olympic massacre.
READ NEXT: What is the risk of new terror attacks in Austria?
Comments