At least two people, including a child, were killed and 68 others injured in a suspected attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening. The tragedy occurred when a car intentionally struck a crowd, causing chaos and several deaths, CNN reported.
According to Saxony-Anhalt President Rainer Heseloff, the victims included an adult and a child, while the injured comprised 15 with severe injuries, 37 moderately hurt, and 16 with minor injuries. Emergency teams, with 100 firefighters and including 100 firefighters and 50 rescue personnel, rushed to the scene to provide medical aid and transport victims to hospitals.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser expressed her sadness, calling the incident “deeply shocking.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Emergency services are doing everything they can to care for the injured and save lives. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
"This news from Magdeburg is deeply shocking. The emergency services are doing everything they can to care for the injured and save lives. All our thoughts are with the victims and their families," Faeser wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Police confirmed the arrest of the suspect driver, who is believed to have acted alone. “According to current information, there is no longer any danger to the city as the perpetrator has been apprehended,” Mayor Haseloff said in a televised address. Investigators are working to determine the motive behind the attack and assuring the public that there are no further threats.
The incident has left locals in shock and disbelief and overshadows the festive spirit of the Christmas market. As the investigation continues, the nation mourns the tragic loss of life and stands in solidarity with the victims and their families.
Suspect arrested
A suspect was arrested shortly after a car plowed into a crowded Christmas market around 7 p.m. on Friday. The market, bustling with holiday shoppers, turned into a scene of chaos as the vehicle struck pedestrians.
The accused was identified as a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006. According to Saxony-Anhalt Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang, the suspect practiced medicine in Bernburg, about 40 kilometers south of Magdeburg.
The governor of Saxony-Anhalt, Rainer Heseloff, confirmed that the suspect acted alone, saying, “As things stand, he is a lone perpetrator, so there is no further danger to the city”.
Expressing condolences to the victims, Haseloff added, "Every human life that has fallen victim to this attack is a terrible tragedy and one human life too many."
Authorities are investigating the incident and the motive for the attack is unclear. The tragedy has left the community in shock as security measures are being tightened at public places across the region.
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