A peaceful Monday morning in the Osternburg district of Oldenburg – until a shocking crime shatters the idyll. A family loses their lives in a residential building. An entire town is left behind, mourning and searching for answers.
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Symbolic image | Source: Getty Images
The crime
According to previous information, a 59-year-old man shot and killed a 35-year-old woman and her two children, an eleven-year-old boy and an eight-year-old girl. He then turned the gun on himself. The woman and the alleged perpetrator had been living separately for several years. The boy was apparently a child they had together; the girl had a different father.
A witness discovered the bodies and immediately alerted the police. The emergency services cordoned off the area while forensics continued into the evening. The murder weapon was also found in the house, but the investigators have not yet provided any further details. All that is known is that the man did not have a gun license.
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Symbolic image | Source: Getty Images
An act without a recognizable motive
It is still unclear why this escalation occurred. The investigators are not commenting on possible backgrounds or personal details of the victims. This leaves many questions unanswered – not only for the neighborhood, but also for the city as a whole.
A city in shock
Oldenburg is deeply shocked. Mayor Jürgen Krogmann spoke on Monday of “shocking events” and expressed his sympathy for the relatives. “Oldenburg mourns and comes together to reflect,” he explained. In the evening, the city council also held a minute of silence. It has not yet been decided whether there will be a public memorial service in the coming days. He added: “It is a very terrible time here for Osternburg, the district, but also for the entire city of Oldenburg.”
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A neighborhood in a state of emergency
The residential area in Osternburg where the crime took place is characterized by detached houses and apartment buildings – a quiet place where one would not expect such a gruesome act. The news that a mother and her two children were killed here has left many residents stunned. The sight of police tape and police cars stands in stark contrast to the otherwise ordinary atmosphere.
Symbolic image | Source: Getty Images
Grief and unanswered questions
The tragedy of this case grows with every new piece of information. It is still unclear what drove the 59-year-old to commit this crime. One thing is certain: a family has been wiped out, neighbors and friends are in deep mourning, and a city is desperately trying to find out the reason for such senseless violence.
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Oldenburg is not the only city to be confronted with a traumatic event. Just recently, a little girl in Pinneberg lost her life in a horrific way. As we previously reported:
In Pinneberg, Schleswig-Holstein, a tragedy occurred that shook an entire family and touched many people deeply. A fire in a two-family house claimed the life of nine-year-old Sofia.
When the flames became a trap
The fire broke out in the attic of the house late on Monday evening at around 11 pm. Sofia and her brother had their rooms there. While the 14-year-old noticed the smoke and was able to flee to his parents on the first floor, Sofia’s path was blocked. The flames cut off access to the attic, making any rescue attempt an impossibility.
Pinneberg: Firefighters and police are on duty with a turntable ladder after a fire in a residential building. | Source: Getty Images
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The parents desperately tried to get to their daughter, but they could no longer reach her. They were still calling for their daughter, but Sofia did not answer them, according to media reports. A neighbor finally brought the father, mother and son to safety using a ladder.
The father suffered severe burns to his arms and was initially placed on a ventilator in the hospital. He is now breathing on his own again, but remains in hospital. Mother and son were admitted to hospital with smoke inhalation, but were able to leave the hospital a few days later and found temporary accommodation with relatives.
Pinneberg: Firefighters are on duty with a turntable ladder after a fire in a residential building. | Source: Getty Images
Who was Sofia?
Sofia was a cheerful child who loved glitter and the color pink. She attended elementary school in Pinneberg and loved to dance hip-hop. Her zest for life and light-heartedness will now be remembered by her family and friends.
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A close friend of the family, Keven Petersen, has set up a donation account to support the parents during this difficult time.
Pinneberg: A fire engine stands in front of a burnt-out residential building after the fire. | Source: Getty Images
Community shocked
The tragedy has triggered a wave of sympathy in Pinneberg. Neighbors, friends and classmates remember Sofia as a child full of energy and joy. The sympathy of many people now goes out to the bereaved, who must learn to deal with the painful loss.
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The internet is also showing enormous sympathy. There is now a post in memory of the deceased Sofia.