Two people were killed and several others injured after a driver rammed a car into a crowd on Monday afternoon in the eastern German city of Leipzig. The incident occurred on Grimmaische Street, a pedestrian shopping district in the heart of the city. While two victims were reported as severely injured and in critical condition, the mayor later stated that an additional three people were seriously injured in what officials believe was a deliberate rampage.
Witnesses reported seeing a damaged Volkswagen SUV speeding through the pedestrian zone with a person on top of the vehicle. There were reports of several bodies covered with sheets as well as a stabbing at the scene.
Police have detained the driver, identified as a 33-year-old German national, who is now due in court on suspicion of murder. Authorities confirmed that the suspect has been arrested and there is no ongoing danger to the public.
The mayor noted that the driver's motivation remains unknown, and officials did not immediately say if the event was an accident or an attack. Germany has been shaken by a series of car-ramming attacks in recent years, including incidents in Berlin, Munich, and a 2024 attack targeting a Christmas market in Magdeburg.