Two people were killed and more than 20 others injured on Monday after a car ploughed into a crowd in the eastern German city of Leipzig, prompting a major emergency response and the immediate arrest of the driver. The incident occurred around 5pm local time on Grimmaische Straße, a busy pedestrian shopping area in the city center, when a damaged Volkswagen SUV was seen speeding through the zone before coming to a stop.
Leipzig fire service director Axel Schuh said that two people were severely injured and about 20 more were “affected,” while later updates noted 22 injured, with three seriously hurt. Police confirmed the driver, described as a 33-year-old German man, was arrested at the scene and no longer poses a threat, though the motive remains unclear. Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung said authorities “don’t know the motivation” and confirmed the two deaths, adding that the situation was under control. Emergency services declared a mass casualty incident, deploying about 40 firefighters, 40 paramedics, and two helicopters, with the area cordoned off as investigators worked at the scene. The public prosecutor’s office has launched proceedings on two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, while officials have not ruled out mental health issues as a possible factor. The incident follows a string of car-ramming attacks in Germany in recent years, heightening security concerns in public spaces.
