BERLIN, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a bistro in Raunheim near Frankfurt Airport in Germany, local police said.

An armed individual entered the venue at around 3:45 a.m. local time (0245 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries, a police spokesperson said, citing initial findings.

The suspect fled after the shooting and remains at large. Police have launched a large-scale manhunt since early morning, deploying numerous officers and cordoning off the area.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and it is not known whether the suspect had any connection to the bistro, the police said, adding that the victims had not yet been identified.

Raunheim is a town southwest of Frankfurt with a population of around 17,000. According to local media, the bistro is located on the ground floor of a two-storey building. ■