Four women are among six people killed in a shooting at a youth welfare centre in Stade, northern Germany, police have said.

The women and one man were shot dead inside the facility, and a sixth person later died of their injuries in hospital. All the victims were adults.

Police earlier told the BBC that two people had been arrested, including the suspected shooter. It later said a third person was also being investigated.

The possible motive of the perpetrator is not yet clear.

Officials said there was no further threat to the public after Monday’s shooting just west of Hamburg. German media reported that the site housed women and children.

Shots were first reported at around 12:10 local time (10:10 GMT), according to city police, with patrol cars “immediately dispatched to the scene”.

The force later confirmed “homicides involving multiple victims” had occurred at a “youth welfare facility” on Dankersstrasse.

“The area is cordoned off, and a large police presence is on site,” it said in a statement, urging the public to avoid the area.

Police said there were also injured people, without providing further details.

Large numbers of police and emergency personnel have been seen working in the area.

German broadcasters ZDF and RTL reported a city spokesperson had said children at a nearby daycare and a primary school were inside at the time of the shooting, and had since been collected by their parents.

The city in the state of Lower Saxony is located about 30km (19 miles) west of Hamburg, and has a population of about 50,000 people.

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