At least two people were killed and 25 others injured when a car drove into a crowd in Mannheim, Germany, on Monday during an annual carnival celebration. The suspect, Alexander Scheuermann, a 40-year-old German citizen from Ludwigshafen, was arrested shortly after the incident.
Scheuermann is being investigated for double murder and multiple attempted murders, according to officials who believe he acted alone. He had served a short prison sentence for bodily harm 10 years ago and had been known for past incidents, including drunk driving and hate speech on Facebook.
The motive behind the attack remains under investigation, but authorities say there was “concrete evidence” that Scheuermann may have had a mental health disorder. The incident occurred in the Planken shopping district area near Paradeplatz Square, where police cordoned off the area and blocked all bridges and main roads.
Twenty-five people were injured, with five in life-threatening condition, including children. The suspect’s car, a Ford Fiesta, was found abandoned by police near the scene of the incident.
The attack comes amid heightened security across Germany, following two recent intentional car-ramming attacks in the country. Authorities have issued warnings to law enforcement and intelligence agencies in Western Europe and the US about a threat environment that has prompted concerns during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/police-operation-german-city-mannheim/story?id=119198884