Two people have been killed and several more have been injured after a car rammed into crowds in the eastern German city of Leipzig.
A damaged Volkswagen SUV with a person on top of the vehicle was spotted speeding through a pedestrian zone, local broadcasters reported.
The car then zoomed through a busy shopping street in the city centre along Grimmaische Street, leaving two people severely injured.
Police arrested the driver and later identified him as a 33-year-old man with German citizenship. They confirmed he "no longer poses a threat".
They confirmed the suspect was known to police.
The prime minister of the state of Saxony Michael Kretschmer said the 33-year-old had possible mental health issues.
A city press release described the incident as a "mass casualty event". Local media reported more than 20 people were injured.
Eyewitnesses claimed there were several bodies reportedly covered with sheets and a stabbing, leaving at least eight people injured.
Ambulances, police cars, fire engines and an emergency helicopter could be seen descending on what was described as a "dynamic situation" by local police.
"We can confirm that several people have been injured," officers told German tabloid Bild.
"A car drove through the city centre," a police spokeswoman told BILD. "We can confirm that several people were injured."
Several people were covered in a sheet
|REUTERS
Leipzig's Lord Mayor Burkhard Jung announced the perpetrator was caught at the scene.
"A case is being initiated against a person for attempted murder and for other criminal offences," one official said.
They added that people were "fighting for their life in hospital".
"It’s shocking. All I can do right now is express my solidarity with the victims’ families," Mr Jung told reporters at the scene.
"Everything else will have to be determined by the work of the police and investigative authorities."
"We don't know the motivation. We don't know anything about the culprit," the mayor added.
Later on Monday evening, Mr Jung told journalists: "We are mourning two deaths, currently three seriously injured people, and many others who were injured.
"It's impossible to find the right words for this horrific attack," he added, according to local paper Leipziger Volkszeitung.
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At least 10 ambulances responded to the scene
|REUTERS
At least 10 ambulances responded to the scene. Shops along the busy street have been closed following the horror crash.
Another eyewitness cited several individuals had to be resuscitated.
One shop worker told German outlet Focus: "I’m still completely shocked. 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.
Authorities have set up a care centre in the Gewandhaus concert hall in the city centre, welcoming witnesses to get in touch there as well.
Emergency services descended on the scene earlier this afternoon
|REUTERS
"Now the street is full of ambulances and police."
Several reported that the scene unfolding looked as if a girl was clinging to the roof of the car.
Saxony Police said: "Currently, a police operation is taking place in the centre of Leipzig.
"Keep the emergency routes clear and follow the instructions of the emergency services on site.
Police are responding to the incident
|REUTERS
"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 police said that they were conducting an operation in the area and would be providing further updates.
Over the past decade, Germany has witnessed several car rammings into busy crowds.
Last year during a separate incident, a man deliberately drove a vehicle into a trade union protest march in Munich, killing two and injuring 43.
In December 2024, a car ramming at a Christmas market in Magdeburg saw six people lose their lives.