A 19-year-old allegedly killed a boy, 9, and then posted video images of the child's body on the internet.
A major manhunt is underway for a teenager suspected of killing a 9-year-old boy and then posting photos and video of the child’s body online, German police said.
Officers alerted by a tip searched the basement of a house in Herne and discovered the boy’s body, a police spokesman told The Associated Press.
Read: 8-Year-Old Shot and Killed Moments After Car Crash, Cops Searching for Suspects
The child and 19-year-old suspect Marcel Hesse were neighbors, authorities said.
Hesse posted the disturbing photos and video to the "Darknet," – a cyberspace hideout sometimes used for posting criminal acts, police said.
The teen appeared to be gloating as he stood next to the victim’s body while displaying bloodied hands, police said.
The images "left even the investigators stunned," a regional interior minister told the wire service.
Hesse was clearly identifiable in the photos, police said.
One of the images has since been posted on social networking sites.
Read: Police Searching for Suspects After Teen Killed While Protecting His Mom During Robbery
Helicopters and sniffer dogs were part of the search effort to find Hesse, police said. The suspect has no previous criminal record, they said.
Hesse knows martial arts and may be armed, authorities said. Members of the public were warned to stay away from the teen, and asked that anyone who sees him to call police.
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