A pair of 44-year-old workers died Thursday after a shooting at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany.
At around 7:45 a.m. local time, a 53-year-old man entered the facility and shot the two employees, who would succumb to their injuries later in the day. Plant security apprehended the suspect, unnamed by state police, and the factory was evacuated.
No other workers were injured during the incident.
All three men worked for the logistics subcontractor Rhenus. The plant, Factory 56, is where the car brand’s flagship S-Class vehicles are produced.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news from Sindelfingen this morning. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and all colleagues on site,” Mercedes-Benz said in a statement.
Baden-Wurttemberg state police said all three men involved came from Turkey. The shooter is opposed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is standing for reelection Sunday, according to Germany’s Die Welt national newspaper.
The police have not confirmed the suspect’s identity, nor have they officially established the violence was related to the Turkish election.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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