Munich shooting: Nine killed in shopping centre attack (Pictures)

German police are engaged in a huge anti-terror manhunt in the city of Munich after nine people died in a shooting at shopping centre.

Police are investigating whether one of the bodies is that of a perpetrator.

Three attackers carrying guns were earlier reported to be on the run. Police urged people to avoid public places.

The attack was at the Olympia mall in the north-western Moosach district. Public transport is suspended.

Police helicopters are flying over the city and the elite border security unit, GSG9, has been flown in.

The body of the suspected attacker was found about 1km (0.6 miles) from the shopping centre, local media reported, and police were using a robot to check it for explosives.

Police, who describe the operation as “an acute terror situation”, say the first reports of a shooting in Hanauer Street came in just before 18:00 (16:00 GMT).

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, told national TV the motive for the attack was still unclear.

“We cannot rule out that it is linked to terrorism but we can’t confirm it either, but we are also investigating in this direction,” he said.

A meeting of the government’s security cabinet will be held on Saturday.

The Bavarian capital’s central railway station has been evacuated.

People stranded by the emergency and unable to get home are being offered shelter by locals. The initiative was launched with the Twitter hashtag #Offenetür (open door). BBC