[UPDATE] Munich Mall Shooting: 9 Killed, Then Gunman Kills Self

A gunman went on a shooting rampage Friday outside a shopping mall in Munich, killing nine people and wounding more than 20 before committing suicide, according to police.

The German foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said Friday night: “We are following the news from Munich with horror. What is behind this hideous act is not completely clear; we still have conflicting leads. But already this much is clear: We will have to mourn for many fatalities and injured.”

In an update via Facebook, Munich police said witnesses reported seeing three different people with guns but later said they believed the gunman who committed suicide acted alone.

Like much of Europe, Germany has been on edge and guarding against attacks. On Monday, an Afghan immigrant slashed and stabbed passengers on a train in Bavaria, reportedly in the name of the Islamic State. That followed the attack a few days earlier in the French city of Nice, where a Tunisian man killed 84 people by plowing his truck through a crowd gathered to celebrate Bastille Day.

During the German attack, police had asked residents to shelter in nearby buildings or stay at home due to the unclear nature of the situation. Public transportation was suspended in the city.

President Barack Obama has pledged to provide Germany with whatever help the country may need, adding that exactly what is happening remains unclear.

Below is the full statement from Press Secretary Josh Earnest.

>>>more coverage via the Associated Press

>>>more coverage via the BBC