Nine people were killed and 21 others injured in a shooting attack in southern German city of Munich on Friday evening before the shooter shot himself dead, said Munich police early on Saturday.

The shooter, identified as an 18-year-old German-Iranian, held dual citizenship of Germany and Iran and had lived in Munich for more than two years, said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae at a press conference.

Three of the injured are in serious conditions, and some children were wounded, Andrae said.

The attacker was likely to have acted alone. "There is currently no evidence of other attackers," Andrae said, adding that "the background and motive of the attack remain unclear."

He said that it was unknown whether there was any Asian among the victims.

A total of 2,300 policemen and special forces were deployed in the action after the attack, including forces from neighboring federal states and Austria, according to Andrae.

Public transport service in the city was suspended after the attack on Friday but was restored later.

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Gunmen attacked a busy mall in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, killing at least nine people and sending shoppers running for their lives from what police said was a terrorist attack.

Authorities told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off.

A police spokesman said three gunmen were on the run after the initial shooting subsided. The city was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them.

"We are telling the people of Munich there are shooters on the run who are dangerous," he said. "We are urging people to stay indoors."

Police said later that eight people had been killed and an undetermined number wounded. A ninth body had also been found and they were checking to see it was one of the gunmen.

Munich newspaper TZ said one of the shooters was dead. German news magazine Focus said a gunman had shot himself in the head. Reuters could not immediately confirm either report.

As special forces deployed in the city, some people remained holed up in the Olympia shopping center which police said had been evacuated.

"Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall.

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident.


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Gunmen attacked a busy shopping mall in the German city of Munich on Friday evening, spraying bullets as people fled in horror for safety from what police said was a terrorist attack.

Police said six people had been killed and the attackers were still at large. They told the public to get off the streets as the city - Germany's third biggest - went into lockdown, with transport halted and highways sealed off.

As special forces rushed to the scene, some people remained holed up in the Olympia shopping center.

"Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. The woman, who asked not to be identified, said she had seen a shooting victim on the floor who appeared to be dead or dying.

A worker at a different shop, Harun Balta, said: "We are still stuck inside the mall without any information, we're waiting for the police to rescue us."

It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group.

Munich police spokeswoman said six people were killed and an undetermined number wounded. No suspects had been arrested yet, she said.

"We believe there was more than one perpetrator. The first reports came at 6 p.m. (1700 GMT), the shooting apparently began at a McDonald's in the shopping center. There are still people in the shopping center. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them," the spokeswoman said.

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Gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich on Friday, killing and wounding many people, police said.

Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside.

The Bavarian Interior Ministry said three people were dead, NTV television reported. A Munich police spokeswoman said multiple people were killed or wounded.

"We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage," the spokeswoman said.

More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said.

"We believe there was more than one perpetrator. The first reports came at 6 p.m., the shooting apparently began at a McDonald's in the shopping center. There are still people in the shopping center. We are trying to get the people out and take care of them."

Police special forces had arrived at the scene, NTV said.

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Police have closed off a wide area around a large Munich shopping center after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said on Friday.

No details were immediately available on injuries or who was responsible for the shooting, the spokeswoman said.

An official at the Munich Olympia Shopping Center declined comment, saying only, "We are experiencing a problem."

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Shots have been fired at a shopping center in Munich, Germany, according to police.

Images and video on social media showed frenzied activity outside the Olympia Einkaufszentrum area.

"People running away to seek shelter!" posted one Twitter user, along with a video that appeared to show streams of people filing past the building.