Several people were killed and others seriously injured in a shooting at a church for a community in the city of Hamburg, northern Germany. Police suspect the shooter was killed.

The newspaper "Bild" also reported that seven people were killed while 8 were injured in the shooting at the church, quoting a police spokesman who said there is no indication that the shooter is at large.

Hamburg police wrote on Twitter: "Several people were seriously injured, some with fatal injuries. We are on site with a large number of forces."

The "NDR" network quoted a police spokesman saying that one or an unknown number of shooters fired at people in a church at around 9 PM local time.

The spokesman also confirmed that "all the dead have gunshot wounds."

The German news agency said that local residents in the northern Alsterdorf area of Hamburg received warnings on their mobile phones of a "life-threatening situation," and the streets were closed.

The mayor of Hamburg expressed his shock. Peter Tschentscher wrote on Twitter: "I extend my sincere condolences to the victims' families. Forces are working at full speed to pursue the perpetrators and clarify the circumstances of the incident."

The motive behind the shooting is still unknown.