国际英语新闻：School shooting shocks Germany, chancellor appalled

BERLIN, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Germany was shocked by a tragic school shooting on Wednesday which killed 16 people, including the 17-year-old gunman apparently killing himself in a standoff with police.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel described the shooting spree as an appalling crime, adding that Wednesday is a day of sorrow for the whole of Germany.

    The gunman, reportedly a former student of the school, went on shooting spree around 9:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) at the Albertville high school in the town of Winnenden near the southwestern German city of Stuttgart.

    Nine students between 14 and 15 years old and three teachers were killed after the shooter, identified as Tim K., entered two classrooms and started the shootout, local officials said at a press conference. Police said that earlier reports that another student died of her wounds in the hospital were incorrect.

    On fleeing the school, the attacker also shot dead an employee of a clinic near the school.

    The gunman then hijacked a car and forced the driver to drive him to another town called Wendlingen. He shot dead another two people at a car dealership in an industrial zone and injured two police officers before shooting him to death during a standoff, local official said at a press conference.

    It was the worst school shooting in Germany since April 2002 when a 19 year-old high school student went on rampage and killed 17 and eventually himself at a high school in the eastern city of Erfurt.

Rescue teams and police forces stand in front of the Albertville school in Winnenden near Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, March 11, 2009

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed shock at the shooting spree, describing it as an appalling crime.

    "It is hard to understand that within seconds students and teachers were robbed of their lives by an appalling crime," Merkel said in a televised statement.

    She also expressed deep sympathy with families and relatives of the victims and promised whatever helps needed.

    "This is a day of sorrow for the whole of Germany," she said.

    German President Horst Koehler also expressed sympathy with families and friends of the victims.

    The German government announced that government buildings will fly flags at half mast on Thursday and the day of funeral service.

    Local officials said, father of the gunman, a local businessman and member of a sport-shooting club, possesses 15 registered weapons. The gunman apparently had taken one of the pistols and over 100 rounds of munitions with him for the crime.

    The motive of the gunman is still unknown. While pointing out that the victims are mainly female, including eight girls and three female teachers, local officials said it might be a coincident.

    Neighbors said that the shooter, who graduated from the school in 2007, was reserved and a loner who liked to play shooting at the basement of his parents' house. He also had a large collection of horror videos.