Doubts over threat by German teenage gunman

As Germany mourns the victims of Wednesday’s school shooting, police now doubt the teenage gunman warned of his deadly plan on the internet.

Regional authorities had claimed Tim Kretschmer posted a message in a chatroom saying he would go to his former school, armed with weapons. But police have now indicated there was no trace of such a message on the 17-year-old’s computer. Described as a loner with a fondness for violent videos, the teenager killed 15 people, 12 of them at his former school in Winnenden near Stuttgart. He then shot himself dead. Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said discussions would be held on strengthening firearms legislation. But he warned: “Lets not pretend a few political gestures or laws could put an end to terrible attacks like this.” Authorities are now looking into whether to press charges against Kretschmer’s father. He owned more than a dozen guns, all locked away except the Beretta pistol that caused the carnage. Police also found 4,600 rounds of ammunition at the family home.

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