Munich on lockdown as gunman goes on killing spree in shopping mall

Several people are feared dead following a mass shooting at the Olympia shopping centre in Munich, Germany, on 22 July. Police have advised people to stay away from the area over fears the gunman is still on the loose.

Images and video shared on social media show people running from the scene in the district of Moosach. A major police operation is underway with officers urging residents close to the shopping centre to stay indoors and avoid public spaces in Munich.

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), citing police, several people have been killed and many more injured. One eyewitness described seeing around 30 police cars making their way to the shopping centre, with a police helicopter also seen flying over the scene.

An official at the shopping centre declined to fully comment on the situation to Reuters, saying only, "We are experiencing a problem."

One staff member still inside the shopping centre told Reuters by phone that "many shots were fired". The worker added: "All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn't survive.

"We have no further information, we're just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet."

Transport systems including trains, trams and bus lines have been halted following the shooing, according to Munich Transportation Authorities.