Europe News

Two dead in shooting at Mercedes plant in Germany

Key Points
  • The perpetrator has been arrested, the force added, noting there was no further danger to employees in the plant at this time.
  • Mercedes-Benz confirmed the incident and deaths.
A Mercedes S-Class luxury automobile rolls off the assembly line at the Mercedes-Benz Group plant in Sindelfingen, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023.
Krisztian Bocsi | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Two people, both 44, were killed in a shooting at the Mercedes-Benz Daimler factory in Sindelfingen, southern Germany on Thursday, local German police said.

The incident took place at 7:45 a.m. local time. The motive is under investigation.

The force reported one death shortly after the shooting, with a heavily injured victim passing away in hospital care afterward. The perpetrator, 53, has been arrested, the force added, noting there was no further danger to employees in the plant at this time.

Mercedes-Benz confirmed the incident and deaths, stating one person is in police custody.

"The persons involved in the incident are employees of an external service provider," the company said. "There is no longer any danger to the population and colleagues in Sindelfingen."

The police and rescue workers remain on site, local police said.

The plant employs roughly 35,000 staff and produces several Mercedes models, including the E-class model and S-class luxury sedans, according to the company.

CNBC's Sophie Kiderlin contributed to this report.