BERLIN (Reuters) -German police said on Monday a lone gunman was dead after injuring several people in an attack in a lecture hall in the southwestern university town of Heidelberg.

       "This is what is known so far: A lone perpetrator injured several people in a lecture hall with a long gun. The perpetrator himself is dead," police said in a tweet.

       Mass-selling newspaper Bild said the shooter opened fire in the lecture hall and injured several people before turning his weapon on himself.

       Earlier, police said a large deployment of police and emergency services was on the scene at the Neuenheimer Feld area of the town, which is home to university facilities.

       (Writing by Paul Carrel, Editing by Miranda Murray)