German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer gave his condolences to the victims of the double shooting in Hanau on Thursday after arriving in the town to pay his respects at the scene of the shooting which left at least 11 people dead and five injured.

According to the Federal Prosecutors Office, there are serious indications of a racist background to the crime, which is supported by videos and documents allegedly made by the suspect.

"Racism is a poison. A poison that triggers confusion in the mind, and allows evil to emerge," said Seehofer.

"This evening we will talk with every German interior minister, about how we can guarantee that the security situation can be improved upon in the next few days," he added.

A gunman reportedly opened fire outside a shisha bar in the city's Heumarkt district and drove off to a second location in the Kesselstadt district where he opened fire again, killing nine people in total and injuring several others late on Wednesday evening.

According to reports, the suspect was a 43-year-old German citizen from Hanau. Together with his 72-year-old mother, he was found dead at his home in the early hours of Thursday morning.