Police say a shooting in northern Germany has killed several people, prompting a large police operation in the city of Stade.

Stade police said multiple shots were fired near a youth center in the city center, and later reported that two people were arrested, including a suspected shooter. Authorities said several others were injured, but they did not provide an exact injury count at the time of the initial reports. The motive was not immediately clear.

After the incident, police told residents to stay away from the area as emergency services responded and a major operation got underway. Later, police said there was no longer any danger to the public.

Investigators have not yet released details about the victims or the suspect(s) beyond the fact that arrests were made during the response. The case remains under investigation as authorities piece together what led to the shooting and how it unfolded.