One person injured in axe-shooting attack in Cologne

Witnesses told police a group of up to four men had an argument with another man before fighting with axes, according to the country’s media. They said the man then tried to escape his attackers and climbed into his auto, before one of the other men fired a shot at the vehicle.

The windows had been shot out, it added.

One man was taken to hospital with stab wounds early Monday morning after a scuffle near the centre of the city. One man suffered a stab wound in the incident.

Officers found shattered glass and a substance that looked like blood at the scene.

Investigators also discovered several bullet cartridge casings nearby and are trying to work out if they are linked to the attack.

The agency quoted the police spokesperson as saying there were no signs of a terrorist motive and that eyewitnesses had reported seeing two cars speeding away.

Germany has been the scene of several high-profile attacks in recent weeks. It is so far unclear whether this was a terror-related attack, as reportedly the area where the violence happened is a notorious red light district where money-laundering and drug-dealing is rife.

They include a mass shooting at a mall in Munich, a stabbing, a suicide bombing.