Two people have been killed in a shooting incident near a synagogue in the eastern German town of Halle, according to local police.

“Several shots were fired. The suspects are on the run with a vehicle. We are urgently investigating and are asking people to stay in their homes,” Halle police tweeted.

The incident happened in the vicinity of Humboldtstrasse, the same street as a synagogue, Halle police press officer, Thomas Mueller, told CNN.

He added that several people had been injured, in addition to the two killed.

The incident also comes on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

One witness, Rene Friedrich, told CNN he was driving past the synagogue when he saw a man dressed in army clothing and a steel helmet.

The man was holding what appeared to be a machine gun and throwing something over the synagogue wall. A person was lying on the ground beside him.

Friedrich, a bakery owner, drove away slowly and called police. But soon after, he again drove past the man in the army gear — this time driving a gray Volkswagen Golf.

Another witness told CNN they also saw a gray car driving away from the synagogue at high speed.

The employee at a nearby business, which has a clear view of the synagogue, also said they heard several shots around 12:15 p.m. local time (6:15 a.m. ET).

They did not want to be named due to security concerns.