GERMANY: Winnenden struggles to come to terms with the deaths of 16 people after a teenage gunman went on a rampage

Record ID: 323849

  • Title: GERMANY: Winnenden struggles to come to terms with the deaths of 16 people after a teenage gunman went on a rampage
  • Date: 14th March 2009
  • Summary: WINNENDEN, GERMANY (MARCH 13,2009) (REUTERS) (NIGHT SHOTS) OUTDOOR SHOT OF ALBERTVILLE REALSCHULE FLAGS AT HALF MAST IN FRONT OF SCHOOL POLICE OFFICER WALKING IN FRONT OF SCHOOL SIGN FOR THE ALBERTVILLE REALSCHULE VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS IN FRONT OF SCHOOL VARIOUS OF CANDLES IN FRONT OF SCHOOL SIGN AMONG CANDLES SAYING "REST IN PEACE" CANDLES AND FLOWERS FLOWERS BURNING CANDLES CANDLES AND FLOWERS PHOTOGRAPH OF GIRL AMONG CANDLES CANDLES IN FRONT OF SCHOOL
  • Embargoed: 29th March 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA1QI53OJ6X25QM45FCDV9LJHD4
  • Story Text: People in the German town of Winnenden continued to mourn those who died when a teenage gunman went on a shooting spree on Wednesday (March 11).
    17-year-old Tim Kretschmer, described by neighbours as a loner with a fondness for violent videos, shot dead 12 people at his old school in the southern town of Winnenden and three more outside before turning the gun on himself when police cornered him.
    Two days after the incident, hundreds of candles and flowers could be seen burning outside the Alberville Realschule where the massacre began.
    Doubts arose on Thursday (March 12) whether the teenager had given advance warning of his deadly plans in a chatroom the night before.
    Police said they were investigating the claim, made by the regional interior ministry, that had posted a message saying he planned to go to his former school with weapons and stage a "proper barbecue".
    The chatroom website www.krautchan.net, which Kretschmer had allegedly used, posted a statement denying the claim.
    Officials said on Thursday that Kretschmer had received psychiatric treatment for depression between April and September, before breaking off the sessions.
    The motive for the attack remained unclear, although he seems to have targeted women. Eight of the nine students and all three of the teachers he killed in the school were female.
    Investigators said on Thursday they had found pornographic pictures on his computer as well as violent video games.
    Kretschmer fired 112 rounds, 60 in the school, and had 109 unused rounds with him when his body was found.
    German authorities are looking into whether to press charges against his father, a member of a shooting club who had 15 guns and 4,600 rounds of ammunition at home.
    Kretschmer shot many of his victims in the head at close range with his father's legally-registered 9-mm Beretta pistol.
    The other 14 guns were locked in a gun-closet as required by German law but the Beretta was kept in the father's bedroom, police said.
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