A shooting at a Jehovah's Witness headquarters in Germany left seven people dead.

(cnn) ⸻ Seven people were killed during a mass shooting at a Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall in the German city of Hamburg in what the country's leader denounced as a "brutal act of violence." The city's police said eight people are dead, including the alleged perpetrator, and the Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany said in a statement that the religious community is deeply saddened by the horrific attack. Chancellor Scholz led politicians in denouncing the murder spree, and authorities were investigating whether the shooter was among the several people found dead at the scene. The streets around the place of worship were cordoned off, and police warned of "extreme danger" in the area. Local residents were urged to stay indoors.