No one injured in shootout at cinema complex in Germany; attacker dead

Authorities said they had no information on the man's identity or motive. Media reports said they saw the gunman enter the building with "an ammunition belt" draped over his shoulder.

"I saw that something was happening. I called the police and told them to come immediately," the cinema manager told Bild daily without giving her name.

The Darmstadt police spokeswoman said they were investigating what type of weapon the assailant used, adding that it was possible it fired blanks.

No hostages were injured at the complex in the western town of Viernheim, 75 kilometres (50 miles) south of Frankfurt, Hesse state interior minister Peter Beuth said. "The assailant moved through the cinema complex, according to the information we have now, and appeared confused," he said. "There were hostages inside and there was a struggle (with police) until in the end he was dead."

Beuth added: "We have no information that anyone (among the cinema-goers) was injured."

A police spokeswoman in the nearby city of Darmstadt confirmed that "all the hostages were unhurt and led out of the building".

Police shot the man dead after elite forces stormed the complex, the Mannheimer Morgen newspaper reported, citing the interior minister of Hesse state. The man was described as "disturbed".

German television showed pictures of heavily armed police, wearing helmets and body armour, storming the Kinopolis complex in Viernheim and a couple fleeing the building.

There are contradictory reports about number of people injured too.

Reuters quotes Bild daily saying that according to police, about 25 people were hurt because of exposure to tear gas.  The Frankfurter Allgemeine said it was unclear if there was a political or ideological motive or whether it was a robbery that went wrong. 

The hostage situation in Viernheim is over. No further damage- FAZ newspaper cites police sources as per latest Reuters report. 

Conflicting reports are coming about the fate of the gunman. State interior Minister has been quoted as saying that the assailant has been shot dead.

Reuters is currently quoting German website' Focus Online', which is reporting that police have arrested the gunman.  

Reports say that an the armed man has barricaded himself inside Kinopolis cinema complex in Western Germany. AFP reports that the German police have said there is an "unclear threat situation" probably involving a weapon.

A spokeswoman of the theatre has said she could not provide any further information.