Shooter hacked young girl’s Facebook account to advertise free food at McDonald’s
A DERANGED gunman who slaughtered four adults and five children in a handgun massacre allegedly hacked a pretty girl's Facebook account to lure kids to their death.
The baby-faced killer, named locally as 18-year-old German-Iranian Ali David Sonboly, used the profile to entice youngsters to the fast food branch, before starting his shooting spree at around 6.30pm in Munich last night.
It has been revealed Sonboly was undergoing psychological treatment for mental illness and was obsessed with mass-shootings.
German investigators say there is an "obvious link" between Friday's shooting at a Munich mall and far-right Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik.
"The link is obvious," said Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae, describing the gunman as obsessed with mass killings.
He added the killer researched the theme of rampages and may have researched Breivik's lethal killing spree.
Friday's carnage came on the fifth anniversary of right-wing fanatic Breivik's massacre in Norway that killed 77 people, many of them youngsters.
A friend told BILD newspaper Sonboly had a picture of Breivik as his Whatsapp profile image, and said he was a "fan of mass murders".
The German prosecutor also revealed he had a book on shootings entitled "Rampage in Head: Why Students Kill" in his bedroom.
Police earlier claimed Sonboly had no political motivation, "absolutely no" link to refugees and no affiliations to ISIS.
A police spokesman added: "There is one shooting injury to his head area. It is assumed he committed suicide.
“There are indications he was under psychological treatment.
“So far we have no data about him being a criminal. In 2010, he was recorded for involvement with youngsters and regarding a burglary.”
The teen shot dead nine people - nearly all of whom were aged between 14 and 21 - before turning the gun on himself.
His motive remains unclear but police are probing a video taken of the attack, where the gunman complains of being "bullied for seven years".
Unconfirmed reports also claim he has links to far-right German group PEGIDA.
Four of the attacker's victims are children and eight were under the age of 21- sparking fears it was a revenge attack for teens who tormented him
Police revealed those killed were aged 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 45.
Munich police investigator Robert Heimberger said it appears that the shooter hacked a Facebook account and sent a message urging people to come to the mall for a free giveaway.
The posting, sent from a young woman's account, urged people to come to the mall at 4 p.m., saying: "I'll give you something if you want, but not too expensive."
Heimberger says: "It appears it was prepared by the suspect and then sent out."
The woman shortly after reported that her account had been hacked.
Police confirmed the Facebook ad luring teens to the McDonald's is "one part of the comprehensive investigation we are conducting".
Footage taken at the scene shows the attacker shouting about "f***ing foreigners" and f***ing Turks".
He is seen screaming "I'm German" and "I was born here" as he stands armed in a car park.
Chillingly the attack came on the five-year anniversary of far-right monster Anders Breivik murdering 77 people, mostly teenagers, in Norway.
Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae says the killer was born and raised in Munich.
Andrae told a news conference that police have found no indications that anyone other than one shooter was involved.
Police investigator Robert Hemberger says the shooter was armed with 9mm Glock pistol and had 300 rounds.
Earlier eyewitness reports claimed crazed Sonboly shouted "Allahu Akbar", "God is Great"; in Arabic, as he launched the attack.
One woman who wished to only be known as Lauretta told CNN she was in the McDonald's restaurant at the time of the attack and saw many casualties that were children.
She said: "I hear like an alarm and boom, boom, boom ... and he's still killing the children. The children were sitting to eat. they can't run."
Claiming he shouted "Allahu Akbar", she added: "I know this because I'm Muslim. I hear this and I only cry."
It comes just a week after another teen launched an ISIS-inspired knife and axe attack on a German train.
ISIS supporters were last night celebrating the killings but it remains unclear if the teen had affiliations with the terrorist group.
Twenty-one people were injured in the killings, 16 of whom were still being treated in hospital. Three are in a critical condition.
Peter Beck, a Munich police spokesman, said officers were still collecting evidence at the scene of the crime Saturday morning.
"With regard to the suspect we have to examine everything, but we don't know yet what triggered the crime," Beck told The Associated Press.
During a press conference this morning, Munich Police President Hubertus Andrae confirmed the force were probing a Facebook page.
It is believed the post was offering free food at the McDonald's at the same time the gunman began his shooting spree.
Police found what is thought to be the killer's body wearing a red backpack in an alley around a kilometre from the Olympia Einkaufszentrum shopping complex.
They have not yet confirmed his identity but confirmed the killer had no past criminal record.
A robot was sent to inspect the corpse.
The mayor of Munich has declared a day of mourning for the victims of Friday's shooting in the Bavarian capital.
Dieter Reiter says the city is "shocked and aghast at this terrible act".
In a statement Saturday on Facebook, Reiter expressed his condolences to the victims, their family and friends, and thanked security forces for their work.
Hesaid Saturday would be "a day of mourning, not of celebration" and that all public festivals in the city over the weekend had been cancelled.
"These are difficult hours for Munich," he said, adding that the city's citizens had shown great solidarity toward each other. "Our city stands united."
Sonboly is reportedly the son of a taxi driver dad and mum who works in a department store.
Armed officers carried out raids on an apartment in Munich in the early hours of this morning in connection with the atrocity.
Munich Police tweeted last night: "We found a man, who killed him himself.
"We assume, that he was the only shooter. #gunfire #munich"
Cops said the gunman had been living in the city for more than two years and acted alone in his killing spree before committing suicide by shooting himself in the head.
The attack began in a McDonald's restaurant and then progressed to a nearby shopping centre.
Police said Sonboly was not known to the authorities before he launched his murderous rampage.
They confirmed he was using a handgun and no long barrelled weapons were found.
The slaughter began shortly before 6pm and the shooter was found around 9.30pm.
The body was found a little more than half a mile away from the shopping centre in the Moosach district of Munich.
The motive for the attack remains unclear.
Detectives also declined to name any of the victims of the attack.
The city's transport networks which had been shut down have now re-opened.
Tributes were being laid at the scene today – as Germany started to wake to the horror of last night.
Visibly shocked people handed officers bouquets to lay next to where the victims were slain as the pain of yesterday hit home.
Horrifying footage showed terrified people fleeing towards a man brandishing a hand gun before he unleashes a hail of bullets which appear to have killed at lest one man.
The shooter can be seen with a small handgun firing outside a McDonald's as terrified bystanders flee for their lives.
Images emerged of Police leading away three men in handcuffs near Marienplatz square in Munich, although their identities have not been confirmed.
German president Joachim Gauck said: "I am deeply shocked by the murderous attack in Munich.
"My thoughts are with all the victims and all those who are grieving or fearing for a loved one.
"And I feel a bond with all those who are working to protect people and save lives."
Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to convene the German security council in the wake of the shootings.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned Brits in Munich to "stay indoors" and said he was “shocked and appalled”.
He said: “My thoughts are with those injured and the families of those killed.
“We stand ready to assist our friends in Germany. Our travel advice to UK nationals in the area tonight is to stay indoors and follow the advice of the local authorities.”
US president Barack Obama said: "Our hearts go out to those who may have been injured. It's still an active situation and Germany is one of our closest allies so we are going to pledge all the support that they may need in dealing with these circumstances."
Hillary Clinton tweeted: "Monitoring the horrific situation in Munich. We stand with our friends in Germany as they work to bring those responsible to justice."
Donald Trump posted on Facebook: "Our prayers are with all those affected by the horrible attacks in Munich. This cannot continue. The rise of terrorism threatens the way of life for all civilized people, and we must do everything in our power to keep it from our shores."
The Republican presidential candidate later added: "Another attack, this time in Germany. Many killed. God bless the people of Munich."
Both Austria and the Czech Republic have tightened security along their boarders with Germany following the attacks.
Munich Police Chief of Marcus Da Gloria Martins yesterday said: “We were first alerted when somebody entered the shopping centre with a weapon and we rushed to the scene.
“We are doing what we can. The emergency calls that an armed man was on site.
“All emergency services at scene are for Munich but we are also looking at back up from the region.
“What can I say about the attackers is that up to now there are three that we know of and that is all the information I can tell you at the moment regarding the shooters.
“They used a short handgun or a pistol of some sort that is what I can tell you.
“We closed down not only that area but the surrounding area. I’m hoping you will share all your information and videos with us as this will give us clues and help us track down the shooters.
“We are asking people to send in their videos.
“Our main priority is the security of the population. This is my first time in such a situation.
“We can’t tell more about the situation. All I can tell you is what I’ve told you so far. We will update you as soon as we can.
“There are a lot of rumours flying around at the moment and all I am saying to you is what I can tell you for sure.
“We are telling the people of Munich that there are shooters on the run who are dangerous.
“This is the biggest police operation in the last 10 years that we’ve had to deal with. You must trust your local police. The Munich police is very well trained.
“Firearms are a huge problem in this particular incident. We urge people to stay indoors and help us with our work and I’m calling on media to help us carry out our jobs.
“We’ve managed to evacuate people from inside and hopefully brought everyone to safety. There are people who have been traumatised by this and I can tell you they are in the double figures.
“We have to treat this as some form of a terror attack as it is an attack with weapons but as to what is behind this we don’t know yet.
“We are also watching these videos people have been showing but you must give me time to analyse these properly.”
They added there was currently no evidence to suggest the attack was motivated by Islamic extremism.
The city had put out a general call for any available doctors and nurses available to report to the hospital where the injured have been rushed to.
The Bavarian state government held a crisis meeting last night.
Lynn Stein, who worked in a shop inside the mall, told CNN that a woman told her she'd seen masked gunmen, in black, running through the shopping centre.
In an unverified video circulating on social media purporting to show the shooter he appears to at one point yell "I am German. I was born here" after onlookers branded him a "w****r".
The city of Munich sent a smartphone alert telling people to stay indoors and German rail company Deutsche Bahn stopped train traffic to Munich's main station.
Facebook has activated a 'Safety Check' for the people of Munich to let their loved ones know they are safe.
Supporters of the Islamic State militant group celebrated on social media a shooting rampage.
"Thank God, may God bring prosperity to our Islamic State men," read one tweet in Arabic on an account that regularly favours the radical Islamist movement.
"The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read an Arabic-language tweet on another account also known to support Islamic State."
Police responded in large numbers to the mall in the northern part of Munich, not far from the city's Olympic Stadium in the Moosach district of the Bavarian capital.
This is the second attack to strike the country in less than a week after a 17-year-old Afghan wounded four people on a train in Wuerzberg with an axe and a knife.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368