Hamburg school on lockdown after ‘gunman seen walking nearby’

Special police units called in to search Otto Hahn School following reports of ‘youth armed with gun’

German police have locked down Otto Hahn School in Hamburg following reports of a gunman seen nearby (Google)

A school was locked down in Germany following reports of a gunman spotted nearby.

Special police units were drafted in to search Otto Hahn School in Jenfeld, Hamburg, on Tuesday afternoon following reports a “youth armed with a gun” may have entered a building.

Hamburg Police said it was unclear whether the armed person had entered a building or “just walked in the direction of the school and then perhaps past the school”.

There were no reports of gunshots and police later confirmed there were “no special incidents”.

A spokesperson said investigations were ongoing at the school, but students could “gradually leave” the premises.

The force said in a statement: “The review of the various school buildings is now complete.

“There were no special incidents, so we can give the all-clear for now. However, on-site investigations are ongoing. The students can now gradually leave the premises.”

More than 1,300 students attend the secondary all-day school, according to its website.

Parents who turned up to the school on Tuesday afternoon were directed to a collection point set up in a nearby car park while the area was sealed off.

Hamburg Police said in a tweet at about 12.30pm local time: “There is currently a major police operation at the Otto Hahn School in Jenfeld . The area around the school is closed. A youth armed with a gun is said to have entered the school building.”

In an update half an hour later, the force added: “It is not clear whether the gunman observed actually entered the building or just walked ‘in the direction of the school building’ and then perhaps past the school. As a precaution, the school building is currently being searched by special units.”

Germany has strict laws which require gun-holders to fulfil criteria on age and weapons expertise to obtain a firearms licence.