A driver plowed into people in the center of the German city of Leipzig on Monday afternoon, leaving two people dead, police said.
Multiple people have been injured after a car struck people down in Grimmaische Strasse in the centre of the city, police have said.
It remains unclear just how many people have been injured, but the city's fire service director, Axel Schuh, said that around 20 people were "affected," without offering details.
A driver has been arrested, Saxony Police said. Police spokesperson Susanne Lübcke said the driver stopped the car himself and was in the vehicle at the time he was detained.
Mayor Burkhard Jung said authorities didn't know of a motive, but "there is no longer any danger — it is under control. The police have caught the suspected perpetrator."
Earlier local media reported that a damaged Volkswagen SUV with a person on top of the vehicle was seen speeding through a pedestrian zone.
Emergency services have declared a mass casualty incident, and police are on the scene in large numbers.
A German broadcaster cited eyewitnesses as saying there were several bodies reportedly covered with sheets as well as a stabbing.
Saxony Police said on social media that a police operation was taking place in central Leipzig, asking citizens to keep emergency routes clear and follow the instructions of the emergency services on site.
“A car struck several people in Grimmaische Strasse and fled. The driver has been apprehended, and there is currently no further danger emanating from him. We will continue to provide updates.”
The force asked that people avoid sharing unverified reports and photos or videos from the scene. “Get your information from official authority accounts and use verified news sources. Fake news makes our work on the ground more difficult. Thanks!”
Grimmaische Strasse, leads into central Leipzig's shopping area. The city is located southwest of Berlin and has more than 630,000 inhabitants, making it one of the biggest cities in eastern Germany.
An eyewitness who works in one of the shops on the affected street told German media outlet FOCUS online that the incident had shocked them.
“I'm still completely shocked”, they said. “From inside the shop, I saw a car speed through. People were run over. That's all I saw; then it drove out of my sight. The car was going at high speed; it was a larger vehicle. Now the street is full of ambulances and police."
Like other European countries, Germany has witnessed a spate of car-ramming and stabbing incidents in recent years, some of which involved religious or political motivations and some carried out by people with mental health issues.
Last year, two people were killed in the western city of Mannheim, when a 40-year-old man drove a car into a group of pedestrians, only weeks after a similar attack on a trade union demonstration in Munich, killing two and injuring more than 40, many children among them.
In December 2024, several people were killed in a car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg. That incident came months after a stabbing attack at a festival in the western city of Solingen.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.
What to know about the US military presence in Europe as Trump seeks drawdown of thousands of troops
Nato is ‘disintegrating’, Donald Tusk says in urgent call to action
Trump is now dealing with an irate, tough Germany. Here’s why
Three dead and 23 Britons trapped after suspected Hantavirus outbreak on cruise: Live
Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 10-16 includes Kenan Thompson and Cate Blanchett
Azerbaijan’s jailed opposition leader urges UK to find ‘courage’ and confront regime
