Police barriers at Mercedes-Benz in Sindelfingen
Two people died after shots were fired on the factory premises.
(Photo: dpa)
After the deadly shots at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, the carmaker temporarily stopped production of the S-Class and EQS on Thursday. 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, 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 in Sindelfingen have been in large-scale operations 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 the external logistics service provider Rhenus Automotive.
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.”
The logistics service provider Rhenus also reacted with dismay. “Management and employees are shocked by the incident and express their deepest sympathy to the victims, their families and all witnesses to the incident,” said the company, which is based in Holzwickede near Dortmund. No further details were given when asked.
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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