First Thing: seven killed in shooting at Jehovah’s Witness hall in Germany

German chancellor Olaf Scholz denounces ‘brutal act’ after suspected gunman found dead. Plus, the people who inherit hobbies from loved ones

Good morning.

Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has denounced a “brutal act of violence” after seven people were shot dead and several others were injured at a Jehovah’s Witness centre in Hamburg on Thursday night. Police said the suspected gunman was dead and that the motive remained unclear.

What happened when the police arrived? Police from a specialised armed unit were by chance already near the scene when the shooting happened, local media reported. They entered the building and started evacuating people.

What else is happening? Reuters reports that in a Telegram message to Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin said he was sure the two leaders could advance their cooperation on regional and international issues, the Kremlin said. “I am confident that, working together, we will ensure the expansion of fruitful Russian-Chinese cooperation in various fields,” Putin said.