Shooting in Germany

For John, BLUF:  There are lessons here, but I don't expect to see any.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Gunman takes hostages in German cinema, is shot dead by police

With a dateline in Viernheim, Germany, Reporter Ralf Banser, wrote for Reuters.

A masked gunman took hostages at a cinema in western Germany on Thursday before police stormed the complex and shot him dead, police said.

No other people were injured, a police spokesman said.

The attacker, who carried a rifle or "long gun," acted alone and appeared to be a "disturbed man," the interior minister of Hesse state, Peter Beuth, told the regional parliament.

So, here is an interesting story.  No mention of a rifle (FYI, a rifle could be an AR-15, but not a musket) in the headline.  It isn't until the third paragraph that the hostage taker having a gun is mentioned.

Yet, the police thought the situation was sufficiently dire to use deadly force.

The "weapon" turned out to be a life-like simulation, which apparently fooled the police.  With the name not released one wonders if this might have been a copycat event, off of Orlando.♠

Germany has strict gun laws.  Apparently they need strict laws on models of guns.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Which is why not playing up the assassination attempt on Mr Trump made good sense.