A car rammed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, central Germany, on Friday evening, killing at least two people and injuring more than 60, authorities said.
The incident took place in the city’s busy christmas market, a popular attraction during the festive season.
Police said the driver, a 50-year-old male doctor from Saudi Arabia with permanent residency in Germany, was arrested at the scene. He has lived in Germany for nearly two decades, officials said.
Reiner Haseloff, premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, described the incident as a “catastrophe” and warned the death toll could rise due to the severity of some injuries.
“”As things stand at the moment, we are talking about a lone offender, which means that there is no further danger to the city,” he added.
Footage shared on social media showed a car driving at speed through the market, hitting people and scattering the crowd. Other videos showed victims wrapped in blankets on the ground as rescue teams provided first aid.
The injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities are now investigating the motive behind the attack while the market remains closed to visitors.