Sputnik News quotes the local police as stating that the gunman “barricaded” himself in the movie theatre. Reuters has cited a local newspaper in reporting that the attacker has been shot dead.

Several dozen civilians have escaped the movie theatre, which is reported to be inside a shopping mall, and special police units have been sent to the area.

Viernheim has a population of approximately 33.000 and is situated in southwestern Germany, in the region of Hesse.