Two people died after shots were fired on the factory premises.
(Photo: dpa)
Vienna, Stuttgart After the deadly shots at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, the carmaker temporarily stopped production of the S-Class and EQS. The Dax group evacuated its employees in the “Factory 56” production hall, in which the two luxury sedans are normally produced in two shifts by more than 1,500 employees, on Thursday and mostly sent them home. Many eyewitnesses receive psychological care.
“Production at Factory 56 has been stopped,” confirmed a company spokesman. The police, rescue service, fire brigade and emergency pastoral care have been in large-scale operations at Mercedes in Sindelfingen since the early hours of the morning. According to investigators, a 53-year-old man opened fire with a firearm in the S-Class production hall at around 7:45 a.m. Two 44-year-old men died as a result, as confirmed by Mercedes and the police.
The alleged perpetrator was overpowered on site by plant security staff and later arrested by the police. Both perpetrators and victims are not direct employees of Mercedes, but employees of an external logistics service provider.
Great concern among the population and companies
Nothing is known about the motive for the act of violence. The investigation is ongoing, there are interrogations, said the criminal police. The suspected murder weapon was seized. The investigators initially kept a low profile on the type of firearm and the number of shots fired. The suspected shooter was due to be brought before a magistrate on Thursday.
There is currently no further danger for employees and visitors of Mercedes and the population in Sindelfingen. There is deep dismay in the Swabian city near Stuttgart and at Mercedes itself. “We were deeply dismayed and shocked by the tragic news from Sindelfingen this morning,” said the carmaker. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site.”
Mercedes has been producing in Sindelfingen for more than a hundred years. Sedans and SUVs in the upper and luxury classes such as the E-Class, GLC and S-Class are currently rolling off the assembly line here. The company’s global development center is also located at the site. A good 35,000 employees currently work for Mercedes in Sindelfingen.
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