The gunman who killed nine people in Munich was obsessed with mass shootings and had no known links to the Islamic State group, German police say.
Police cars and ambulances are seen near the shopping mall in Munich following the shootings. Photo: AFP
German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to meet with top security officials tonight after the 18-year-old gunman killed nine people in Munich.
An 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman in the German city of Munich has killed nine people and injured 16 more, with children among those shot, police say.
The exact motives of the gunman, who had dual citizenship in Germany and Iran, were still unknown after the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days.
However, police said that newspaper clippings on attacks including an article entitled "Why do students kill?" were found in the gunman's room.
The attack was believed to have started at a McDonald's, with multiple shots fired, before the attacker moved to the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping centre in the south German city about 6pm local time on Friday.
The shooting spree touched off panic and fear in the city of 1.4 million inhabitants.
Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said a man who was likely the sole gunman who used a 9mm pistol and had apparently shot himself.
He said the motive for the shooting was not clear, and despite earlier reports, there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident.
Ms Merkel was due to meet her chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and a host of intelligence officials on Saturday to review the incident.
Police, citing witnesses, had initially said they were looking for up to three suspects and were treating the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.
But authorities told a news conference early on Saturday the shooter was believed to have staged the attack alone, opening fire in a fast food restaurant before moving to the mall.
Nine people were killed, including some youths, before the gunman apparently killed himself, Mr Andrae said.
A video circulated on social media showed a pistol-wielding man dressed in black walking away from a restaurant while firing on people as they fled.
As well as the nine dead, 16 people were injured in the attack, including three who were in a life-threatening condition.
Several children were also targeted.
Police urged the public to avoid speculation on social media and to desist from using photos or video of their deployments online.
"We cannot rule out that it is linked to terrorism but we can't confirm it either, but we are also investigating in this direction," Merkel's chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, told national television.
Following the attack, the Bavarian capital's transport system was suspended and the central railway station evacuated.
Public transport was reopened several hours later when police gave a cautious "all clear".
Mr Andrae said it had not been determined whether the suspected gunman had a German identity card and the investigation was still under way.
The gunman, who apparently used a pistol according to initial evidence, was not previously known to police.
Following the attack, the Bavarian capital's transport system was suspended and the central railway station evacuated. Public transport was reopened several hours later when police gave a cautious "all clear".
US President Barack Obama said the US would give "all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances".
Iran's Foreign Ministry said fighting terrorism, in any form and place, was an urgent demand of the world community.
It said the international community should make fighting terrorism its top priority.
French President Francois Hollande offered his "sympathy and support to the German people in this difficult hour".
"The terrorist attack that struck Munich killing many people is a disgusting act that aims to foment fear in Germany after other European countries," he said.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was "shocked and appalled" by the attack.
"We stand ready to assist our friends in Germany," he added.
- Reuters