2 Dead, Several Injured In German Synagogue Shooting; One Suspect Still At Large

The latest synagogue shooting in the West unfolded Wednesday morning – coinciding with the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, what is supposed to be a day of rest, fasting and prayer – in the East German city of Halle. Police told RT that one individual has been arrested in connection with the shooting, which left two people dead and an unknown number of others injured.

While most synagogue shootings in the US have been blamed on far-right-wing ideologies, some local media outlets reported that the attackers were fundamentalist Muslims. Still others reported that the shooters were right-wing anti-semites.

The attack went down on the street outside the synagogue, CNN reported.

At one point during the shooting, a grenade was thrown, police said, though they didn’t offer any additional details. Police have arrested one individual in connection with the shooting while another reportedly escaped their grasp and managed to flee the scene. He is still at large, and police are actively hunting for him.

An employee who works at a business near where the shooting unfolded said he saw a gray car flee the scene of the shooting at around 6:15 am ET.

Courtesy of CNN

Halle Police warned that people should “stay alert” as police are still working to “stabilize the situation.” A police spokesman added that security will be increased at nearby synagogues, including one in Dresden, which is about two hours from Halle.

Germany’s Bild newspaper reported that shots were fired about 15 kilometers (roughly 7 miles) away from Halle in Landsberg, though police aren’t certain yet whether the two shootings are connected. It’s unclear whether anyone was hurt during that incident. The train station in Halle has been closed as police hunt for the other attacker.