Shooting at Mercedes plant in Germany leaves 2 dead

Some 35,000 people are employed at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Sindelfingen, located some 17 kilometers southwest of Stuttgart, the company’s flagship S-Class luxury sedan is produced. (AFP)

• Investigators are working on the assumption that this was the act of a single perpetrator
• Mercedes-Benz produces its flagship S-Class luxury sedan at the location in Sindelfingen

BERLIN: Two people died in a shooting at a Mercedes-Benz factory in south-western Germany on Thursday, the company said.
Police had previously said that one person died and another was seriously injured.
Authorities said that one suspect had been detained.
“This morning, shots were fired on the factory premises in Sindelfingen,” a spokesperson for the Stuttgart prosecutor earlier said. “Two persons were injured, one of whom has since died.”
Investigators are working on the assumption that this was the act of a single perpetrator and that no individuals outside the factory were involved, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Police and emergency responders remained at the scene.
Police earlier confirmed on Twitter that one person had died and another was severely injured. They were not immediately available for further comment.
Mercedes-Benz produces its flagship S-Class luxury sedan at the location in Sindelfingen, located some 17 kilometers southwest of Stuttgart. Some 35,000 people are employed at the site, according to the company.
Mercedes confirmed an incident had taken place at the plant and that it was in touch with the authorities, without elaborating.
“We are in contact with the authorities and are trying to clarify the facts. The safety of the employees comes first,” the company said.
In 2012, a shooting at a factory site for technology firm 3M in the western German town of Hilden left one dead and four injured.