A masked man shot dead after taking hostages in a German cinema was armed only with a replica rifle, pistol and harmless fake grenades.
The 19-year-old from northern Germany walked into the cinema on Thursday afternoon in Viernheim, about six miles from Mannheim.
He took 18 hostages and fired blank rounds into the air before being killed by police. None of the hostages were injured.
Prosecutors say his motives are not clear but there is no evidence he had a political or terrorist background.
The Local quoted Hesse's interior minister Peter Beuth as saying the man had come into the cinema wearing a mask and carrying a long gun.
Four shots had been fired and an alarm was set off from inside the building that alerted police.
Special forces officers flew by helicopter from Frankfurt and shot the man dead.
Mr Beuth said: "The assailant moved through the cinema complex, according to the information we have now, and appeared confused.
"There were hostages inside and there was a struggle (with police) until in the end he was dead."
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