Munich horror brings to light toll of attacks
The fact that so many people were quick to suspect that the Islamic State was behind a shooting rampage at a Munich mall Friday that left nine people dead is a testament to the fear the terror group has spread across the globe, one local expert says.
“Whenever there is a mass casualty or terrorist attack around the world these days, the Islamic State is almost always the leading suspect,” said Max Abrahms, a Northeastern University professor and terror expert. “It was perceived from the start. It was believed to be multiple attackers spread throughout the city of Munich taking aim at civilians. It all turned out to be false.”
Despite conflicting reports of multiple shooters that prompted officials to order a citywide lockdown, German officials now say the lone wolf gunman who opened fire inside the Olympia Einkaufszentrum was a depression - plagued teenager who avidly read books and articles about mass killings and apparently tried to lure young victims to their deaths through a fake Facebook posting.
Information from witnesses indicated that his hatred of foreigners might have played a role in the mass shooting, even though he was the Germanborn son of Iranian asylum seekers.
The 18yearold high school student from Munich with Iranian and German citizenship also wounded more than two dozen other people Friday night before turning his illegal Glock 17 pistol on himself, ending a shooting rampage that could have become even more tragic.
Though the filed off serial numbers the Glock made it difficult to establish its origin, investigators said the gunman — identified by German officials as David S. yesterday — had no permit to carry it.
One victim was 45, another 20 and the rest were between 14 and 19, Munich police Chief Hubertus Andrae said. The fact that most of the dead were so young added to what German Chancellor Angela Merkel called “an evening and night of horror.”
Although investigators say they are still looking for a motive for the attack, Munich prosecutor Thomas SteinkrausKoch said the gunman was undergoing psychiatric treatment for depression.
A search of the shooter’s home overnight revealed a trove of literature about mass killings, including a Germanlanguage translation of the English book “Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters.”
And though authorities say there appears to be no connection to Islamic terror, Abrahms said the attack highlights the threat lone wolf shooters pose to the public.
“Lone wolf attacks are harder to prevent. They are becoming more lethal,” Abrahms said. “There is a real sense that lone wolf lethality is on the rise — and we don’t have an answer for it.” Herald wire services contributed to this report.