A driver rammed his car into a large crowd at a Christmas market in central Germany on Friday evening, killing at least two people and injuring more than 60. The suspect, identified as a 50-year-old Saudi doctor with permanent residency in Germany, was arrested after the incident.
The victim who lost their life is believed to be a young child, according to Reiner Haseloff, the premier of Saxony-Anhalt state. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit the scene on Saturday to show support for the victims and their families.
According to local authorities, the motive behind the attack is unclear. However, German police received a warning from Saudi Arabia about the suspect’s extremist views online.
German authorities have been on high alert since last year’s deadly Christmas market attack in Berlin, where Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker with Islamist links, killed 12 people and injured dozens of others.
The incident has sparked widespread shock and outrage across Germany, with many calling for increased security measures at public gatherings.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/car-ploughs-into-christmas-market-eastern-german-town-media-reports-say-2024-12-20