Police Make Arrests in Deadly Ice Cream Parlor Shooting

German police arrested two men of Turkish origin in connection with a shooting at an ice cream parlor in the city of Ruesselsheim in which two men and a woman were killed.

Police spokesman Stefan Mueller said Wednesday, Aug. 13, that around four men had been seated at a table in the De Rocco ice cream cafe in Ruesselsheim when they were attacked by a group at around 8 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

One of the attackers, a Turkish man aged 26, died in the ensuing shoot-out, while a 29-year-old Turkish man from the group sitting at the table also died.

Media reports said the victims came from the large Kurdish community in the region.

A 55-year-old woman, described by Mueller as an innocent bystander, also died as a result of internal bleeding after being hit by a bullet in the attack that took place in a pedestrian zone near the station in the city, which lies to the south-west of Frankfurt.

A third man, also thought to be one of the attackers and the brother of the dead 26-year-old, was seriously injured. Mueller said he was no longer in danger and was under police guard before appearing in court.

Mueller said police had searched several premises in the region and arrested two men of Turkish origin, aged 28 and 49.

Police did not confirm reports that the killings could be linked to drug deals or unpaid gambling debts. Nor did they link the shooting to organized crime.

Last year, six people died in a shooting outside a pizzeria near the main station in the city of Duisburg.

Police investigations centered on organized crime gangs in southern Italy, in particular the 'Ndrangheta, leading to several arrests.