Two men killed in shooting at German firm were brothers, police say

The two employees who died in a shooting attack at a mechanical engineering company in south-western Germany were brothers, police and prosecutors said on Wednesday.

One person remains in critical condition following the attack in the town of Bad Friedrichshall, some 100 kilometres south of Frankfurt, on Tuesday.

The suspect, a 52-year-old German national who was an employee at the company, was a member of a shooting club and had a permit for the weapon used, police said,

Two brothers - aged 49 and 44 - were killed after a masked person entered the company's premises in the early evening and then fired shots at them.

The suspected perpetrator was arrested in the town of Seckach following an hours-long manhunt. His motive remains unclear, a spokesman for the local public prosecutor's office said.

He has since been remanded in custody and is refusing to speak to investigators. He is accused of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Twenty-five employees were on site during the crime, police said on Wednesday. They were taken out of the building and questioned by officers.

Around 20,000 people live in Bad Friedrichshall, located in the prosperous state of Baden-Württemberg.

Bad Friedrichshall's mayor Timo Frey told dpa he was shocked by the news. He said the family-owned company, which makes gears, is well-known in the area and is a major employer with a staff of around 400.