Karlsruhe:
Three or four people were killed after a gunman took people hostage during a home eviction in southwestern Germany Wednesday, police said.
A police spokesman said the hostage-taker and all his hostages were dead after he barricaded himself and them into an apartment block in the city of Karlsruhe.
The gunman took several people hostage, including a bailiff, police said.
Rolling news channel NTV had reported he had at least one hand grenade.
The exact number of hostages is not known nor the identity of the hostage-taker but they said he is the occupant of the home which was due to be cleared on Wednesday.
"The situation is unclear," a police spokesman said. "We don't know what is happening in the flat."
Police said they had not managed to make contact with the hostage-taker.
Residents of the building raised the alarm with police at around 9:00 am (0700 GMT) when shots were heard from the home of the hostage-taker.
Special police forces are at the scene which has been sealed off.