BERLIN: Two people were killed Tuesday in a stabbing assault in western Germany, police said, adding that the perpetrator was in custody.

The motive was unclear, said police of the incident in the city of Ludwigshafen.

Officers had fired shots at the suspect before arresting him, a police spokeswoman said.

First accounts indicated that “an individual had attacked another with a knife”, said police in a statement.

The crime scene has been cordoned off and there is no danger for the public, they added.

Germany has been hit in recent years by deadly knife attacks, some carried out by extremists and others by people suffering from serious psychological problems.