Leipzig, Germany - Not to be outdone by other German cities hosting vehicular mayhem, Leipzig had its own on Monday afternoon when a car drove into a crowd, killing two and injuring 22 others, according to local authorities.
Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung announced that the suspected perpetrator - a 33-year-old German citizen, because apparently that's a demographic we need to keep an eye on now - was arrested. Jung added that authorities are still scratching their heads about a motive, though they've ruled out religious or political angles for now.
Police confirmed that a car struck several people in the central Grimmaische Straße area before speeding off. Leipzig's fire chief, Axel Shuh, reported that 22 people were injured, including two seriously. Michael Kretschmer, the head of the state of Saxony, noted that the suspect had a history of mental illness, which is about as specific as a shrug.
Leipzig police spokesperson Susanne Luebcke provided a play-by-play: at about 17:35 (15:35 GMT), "a person drove a vehicle across Augustusplatz into Grimmaische Street, continuing on past the market." She confirmed the fatalities - a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, both German citizens - and called it "a case of violent rampage," adding that investigators believe it was a lone perpetrator and there's no ongoing threat to public safety.
The Leipzig public prosecutor's office is investigating the suspect for murder and attempted murder, with no religious or political motive found so far. Because sometimes, apparently, people just drive into crowds for no good reason.
Eyewitness Susi told Radio Leipzig she heard "a loud bang" and saw the driver going "really fast." She and a friend took refuge in a jewelry shop, emerging to find injured people on the ground. Another eyewitness reported that the car stopped at some bollards, a woman fell from the car's roof, and about 15 brave souls gathered to apprehend the driver, trying to drag him through an open window. The driver attempted escape via a passenger window, but police arrived first, securing his hands with cable ties.
This incident joins a growing list of German car-ramming attacks: December 2024 saw six dead and over 300 wounded at a Magdeburg Christmas market, and February last year had 30 injured in Munich just before federal elections. It's almost as if cars are becoming the weapon of choice for those with a grudge and a driver's license.