A lone gunman, identified as an 18-year-old, killed himself after shooting four at the Heidelberg University in southwestern Germany on Monday, police said. 

The attack took place during a lecture. One woman reportedly died a few hours after being shot in the head, German news agency dpa reported citing unidentified security sources.

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Police, or any authority are yet to confirm the report. However, they said that a man had opened fire with a long-barreled firearm in a lecture hall and then fled outside. They stressed that they believe he was acting alone and there was no longer any danger.

In a tweet, police said: “Four people injured, some seriously, currently no more danger, perpetrator dead – single perpetrator assumed.”

There was no immediate word on a possible motive. Officers at the scene could be seen examining two firearms and a bag.

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Stefan Wilhelm, the police spokesman, said on regional broadcaster SWR  confirmed that the man had killed himself. Authorities had asked people on Twitter to avoid the Neuenheimer Feld area, home to a large university campus.

Expressing dismay over the shooting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that ‘it tears my heart apart to learn of such news’. 

“It’s been reported that one student has died of her injuries in the meantime. It tears my heart apart to learn of such news,” Scholz said, expressing his condolences to relatives, victims and students at the university,” he said. 

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Authorities planned to hold a news conference Monday evening.

The dpa agency also reported, without citing sources, that the gunman is believed to have been a student himself, and that security officials say initial indications are that he didn’t have any political or religious motive.

Heidelberg is located south of Frankfurt and has about 160,000 inhabitants. Its university is one of Germany’s best-known.

With inputs from the Associated Press