Obama briefed on man who took hostages in German cinema: White House

By Reuters

Warning tape is pictured in front of a cinema complex after a masked man with a gun and ammunition belt opened fire in Viernheim

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) – The White House said on Thursday that President Barack Obama had been briefed about a masked man who took hostages at a cinema in western Germany and was later killed by police.

White House spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters that U.S. officials were in contact with their German counterparts about the situation, but had no further details.

(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Chris Reese)