With In Depth
The Winnenden Shooting: One Year On
One year ago a 17 year-old went on a shooting spree at his former school in the small German town of Winnenden, before turning his weapon on himself. Fifteen people were killed in the gun attack. It opened a debate in Germany about gun control laws and better psychological counselling for teenagers.
The search for answers began immediately after the tragedy. A picture of a lonely, frustrated loner began to emerge - but little to suggest that Tim Kretschmer was planning such a terrible crime. The blame was initially pointed at violent computer games, with calls for a ban. But the focus quickly switched to legally held firearms, when it emerged the teenager had stolen a gun from his parents' bedroom.The case has led to a tightening of Germany's gun laws. German schools have also introduced measures to pinpoint signs of aggression among pupils, and prevent similar crimes happening again.