Two dead in Germany shooting

DORTMUND, Germany (CNN) -- Two people have been shot dead and two others severely injured in a shooting in western Germany.

Officials could not immediately provide details of the incident in the city of Dortmund.

A Dortmund police spokesman told the Associated Press that "several people were injured after shots were fired."

According to n-tv television, the shooting was carried out by more than one person.

The gunmen are said to have come out of a bar and opened fire on the victims outside a computer store.

The Reuters news agency said unconfirmed media reports said the shots were fired from a passing car.

Authorities said the shooting happened at 1.10 p.m. local time (1210 BST).

The shooting comes as German politicians are strengthening gun control legislation following an incident in April when 16 people, mostly teachers, were murdered in one of the country's worst peacetime killings.

Robert Steinhaeuser, 19, shot himself after opening fire at Johann Gutenberg Gymnasium, in Erfurt, on April 26.

On Friday, Germany's upper house ratified a proposal to raise the age limit for gun ownership and ban pump-action shotguns.

Following the Erfurt killings, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder called for new gun law measures including raising the minimum legal age for acquiring firearms for recreational use from 18 to 25.