MUNICH, Germany: In the chaos after the Munich mall shooting, city residents spontaneously offered shelter to strangers -- a move that Chancellor Angela Merkel said showed that Germany´s strength lies in its values.
Almost as soon as police shut down public transport on Friday evening in an effort to prevent suspects from slipping through the net, people took to social media to offer help to the stranded.
Merkel said the generosity of Munich residents showed that "we live in a free society and it showed humanity", adding that "our greatest strength" lies in these values.
"The people of Munich have come through a night of horror," she said.
Germany´s third-largest city is reeling after David Ali Sonboly, an 18-year-old German-Iranian, killed nine people and injured 16 others in a busy shopping mall before committing suicide.
Initially there were reports of three possible attackers, but by Friday night police had ruled that out and said Sonboly acted alone.
The ´open door´ initiative found widespread praise among German authorities and the press.
"This solidarity impressed me deeply. It was a good sign of a civil society," Bavaria´s finance minister Markus Soeder told reporters. "Amongst all the shock and mourning, there is still hope."
In the city centre, hotels also offered shelter to anyone stranded, allowing them to remain in the lobby if all the rooms were booked.
The mall was still heavily cordoned off on Saturday as forensic experts scoured the site, but people were already laying flowers and lighting candles for the dead.
One hand-written placard asked simply "Why?"
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