German state minister: Shooter had xenophobic motive, his mother is dead

The interior minister of the German state of Hesse said on Thursday that there was a xenophobic motive to the shooting in Hanau and said the suspected perpetrator and his mother had been found dead with shot wounds at his home.

Peter Beuth said investigations were ongoing as to whether there were any letters of confession - on which newspaper Bild has reported. He added that he could not say who was visiting the shisha bars at the time of attack.

Beuth said the perpetrator was in legal possession of arms and was a sports marksman.