At least two people have died and more than 20 others injured after a vehicle drove into pedestrians in the eastern German city of Leipzig on Monday afternoon, authorities have confirmed.
According to police, the incident occurred in the busy central district around Grimmaische Straße and Augustusplatz, where a car struck multiple people before continuing through the area. Emergency services reported that 22 individuals were injured, three of them seriously.
The suspect, identified as a 33-year-old German man, was arrested shortly after the incident. Authorities say investigations are ongoing and the motive remains unclear.
Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung described the event as deeply shocking, noting that the city is mourning the loss of two lives and grappling with the scale of injuries.
Officials in the state of Saxony, including regional leader Michael Kretschmer, indicated that the suspect had a history of mental illness, though investigations are still in the early stages.
Prosecutors confirmed that the victims were a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, both German nationals. The suspect is now under investigation for murder and attempted murder. Authorities have stated that, based on current findings, there is no indication of a political or religious motive behind the attack.
Police spokesperson Susanne Luebcke said the incident is being treated as a lone-actor attack, adding that there is currently no ongoing threat to the public.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as the car sped through the pedestrian area. One eyewitness, who had been sitting nearby at the time, recounted seeing people struck as the vehicle moved through the crowded street.
Investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
