Investigators examine possible letter and reference to planned livestream after shooting rampage in Schongau

A spokesperson for the Munich II Public Prosecutor's Office said in response to a query: "Es gibt erste Hinweise darauf, dass diese Tat gestreamt werden sollte". The news magazine "Spiegel" had previously reported on the possible livestream and the document. "Aber mehr können wir noch nicht sagen", the authority added.

Indications of a possible livestream

According to investigators, the 16-year-old seriously injured two 13-year-old girls with a knife on the school grounds on Wednesday. He was overpowered by teachers and police officers. The firearm was found, according to dpa information, next to a backpack that the 16-year-old is alleged to have placed on the schoolyard in the vicinity of the crime scene after the act.

According to the information, the 16-year-old stated that he had obtained the weapon on the darknet. The youth is a Croatian national, according to police and the public prosecutor's office. As a former student of the school in question, he is now in pretrial detention on charges of two counts of attempted murder.

Previous investigations against the accused

Even before the act, the accused had come under scrutiny by investigators in connection with two incidents from the year 2025, according to police and the public prosecutor's office. He is alleged to have, among other things, threatened fellow students and glorified shooting rampages on social networks.

According to "Spiegel", the author of the letter also professes allegiance to the so-called incel movement. According to the report, an internet-published "manifesto" suggests that the suspected rampage perpetrator belonged to the so-called "attacker fan scene". The author describes himself as a "hoffnungslosen 16-Jährigen mit viel zu viel Hass im Herzen".

Connection to the incel and attacker scene

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution describes the scene as a "gewaltorientierte, rechtsextremistische Online-Subkultur" that evaluates perpetrators "nach der 'Anzahl ihrer Todesopfer bewertet oder bildlich als Heilige darstellt'". The Munich General Public Prosecutor's Office initially declined to comment on the new media reports.

The Munich General Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting the proceedings due to the particular significance of the case. The investigations are now focusing on the question of whether the letter found is authentic and whether a livestream was actually planned. "Aber wir haben bisher noch keine Erkenntnisse in die eine oder andere Richtung, also ob es vom Täter stammt oder nicht", the spokesperson said.

The affected school in Schongau remained closed on Thursday. Criminal police specialists secured evidence on the school grounds. The two injured 13-year-old girls were treated in hospitals; regarding their condition, the authorities initially provided no further details with reference to the protection of minors.

Schongau is located in the Upper Bavarian district of Weilheim-Schongau. The town of around 12,000 inhabitants became known nationwide because of the act. Bavaria's Ministry of the Interior announced that security concepts at schools in the Free State would be put under review.

Securing evidence and witness appeals

The responsible authorities also made clear that the evaluation of digital evidence — including chat histories, social media profiles and possible platform content — would take some time. Investigations would be pursued "mit Hochdruck", it was said.

The Munich General Public Prosecutor's Office emphasized that the investigations were still at a very early stage. It will be examined whether further witnesses need to be heard and whether the letter can be forensically analyzed. The role of possible accomplices or supporters is also being investigated.

The act once again raises questions about the radicalization of young people on the internet. Experts in extremism research have pointed for years to the growing significance of so-called online subcultures that glorify violence and heroize perpetrators. The General Public Prosecutor's Office announced that these backgrounds would also be examined.

The Munich II Public Prosecutor's Office pointed out that the publication of the suspected "manifesto" could be relevant under criminal law. The dissemination of such writings could, under certain conditions, be considered as rewarding and approving of criminal acts, a spokesperson explained.

Political and societal reactions

The investigators are also asking for tips from the public. Persons who observed anything suspicious in the vicinity of the school or on social networks are asked to contact the police. A special investigation unit has been set up.

Psychological support for students, teachers and relatives of the injured was initiated immediately after the act. Emergency chaplains and specially trained personnel are deployed. The Ministry of Education in Munich announced support for the school community.

The Munich General Public Prosecutor's Office intends to provide information about the progress of the investigations in the coming days. Until then, the previous information remains provisional, as the evaluation of digital evidence continues.

The act in Schongau is part of a series of violent acts at schools in Germany that have reignited the debate in recent years about prevention, access to weapons and the role of social media. Politicians from various parties have once again called for stricter regulations on the handling of knives and access to online platforms.