A police investigation is currently in progress after a vehicle was “driven at speed” into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of at least two people, including a young child, and left dozens of others injured.
According to local officials, the suspect has been identified as a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who first arrived in Germany in 2006.
Extensive police operations currently taking place
The incident occurred at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, the capital city of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Located approximately 100 miles west of Berlin, Magdeburg has a population of about 240,000 residents.
Police were alerted to the scene shortly after 7 p.m. In a statement shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), police said, “Extensive police operations are currently taking place at the Magdeburg Christmas market. The Christmas market in the city centre is closed. Further reports will be made.”
Magdeburg attack footage emerges
Shortly after the incident, several videos surfaced on social media, showing the significant police presence at the market. One of the videos, reportedly from CCTV footage, appeared to capture a black vehicle driving into the crowd. However, Sky News noted it had not yet been able to verify the authenticity of this footage.
Additional footage taken from a nearby balcony appeared to show a man being led away from the scene and detained by police. Other videos depicted people lying injured on the ground, with bystanders attempting to provide aid.
Casualties and Injuries in Magdeburg attack
The exact number of casualties remains uncertain. Reiner Haseloff, the state premier of Saxony-Anhalt, confirmed that two people had died, one of whom was a small child. At least 68 people were reported injured.
Earlier statements from Deputy Mayor Regina-Dolores Stieler-Hinz indicated one person had died and over 50 were injured, according to the German news agency dpa. A city spokesperson stated that all hospitals in Magdeburg were preparing for a “mass casualty event.”
Suspect Details
Tamara Zieschang, Saxony-Anhalt’s interior minister, revealed that the suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who first moved to Germany in 2006.
German news outlet Welt, citing security sources, also reported that the suspect was a Saudi national. Meanwhile, dpa, quoting similar sources, noted that the individual was not previously known to security services.
