Story highlights Police say no one was shot except the attacker

U.S. Embassy spokeswoman: Tear gas may have caused some of the injuries

(CNN) A masked gunman stormed a German cinema Thursday afternoon, taking hostages before he was killed by police, officials said.

The rifle-wielding man entered the cinema in Viernheim, near Frankfurt in western Germany, shortly before 3 p.m. local time, Hesse Interior Minister Peter Beuth said.

Police received reports of four shots fired.

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German public TV initially said 25 people were injured, but it wasn't clear if they were shot or hurt in other ways.

After the ordeal ended, a Viernheim police spokesman told CNN that no one was injured by gunfire aside from the attacker.

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