45-year-old man arrested following deadly attack at a childcare center in Stade, Germany

A 45-year-old Turkish national has been detained following a shooting at a welfare and childcare facility in Stade, Lower Saxony, which resulted in the deaths of six people. Reports indicate the suspect had been invited to the facility on Monday to discuss custody arrangements for his eight-month-old daughter, whom he had allegedly shaken. According to the German newspaper BILD, the man is a fugitive from Turkey with multiple pending criminal charges, including a 2017 sexual assault case in Kahramanmaras and a 2022 child abuse allegation in Gaziantep. While the suspect had no prior record of violent crimes in Germany, local authorities had previously received reports regarding his aggressive behavior and threats toward medical staff and police. Prosecutors in Lower Saxony stated they were unaware of his criminal history in Turkey prior to the incident. German authorities are currently coordinating with their Turkish counterparts as the investigation proceeds. The suspect remains in custody pending further legal action.