Five people have now died after a car ploughed into a busy Christmas market in eastern Germany on Friday, with a further 200 people injured, authorities have confirmed.
Among the dead is a nine-year-old child, who was confirmed to have been killed on Friday following the attack at around 7pm. According to German media, 41 people have been critically injured, 90 seriously injured and a further 80 are suffering minor injuries.
Speaking at the scene in Magdeburg on Saturday, German chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters: “What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality. Almost 40 are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them.”
Police have arrested a 50-year-old Saudi doctor identified by local media as Taleb A, who had lived in Germany since 2006 and reportedly sympathised with Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party.
The attack sparked global condemnation from world leaders, including UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who said he was “horrified” by the “atrocious attack”.
Prosecutors expect to charge suspect with murder and attempted murder
Prosecutors expect to charge the suspect with murder and attempted murder, the head of the local prosecutor’s office has said.
The motive for the attack remains unclear but the suspect’s dissatisfaction with Germany’s treatment of Saudi refugees may have played a role, the prosecutor in the central city of Magdeburg told a press conference.
What we know so far about the suspected driver of car
The suspect is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who first came to Germany in 2006, authorities confirmed.
He has been named by German media as Taleb A. and has reportedly shown support for Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party.
A Saudi source told Reuters that the kingdom had warned German authorities about the attacker, who the source said had posted extremist views on his personal X account.
He was recognised as a refugee in 2016 and is a consultant for psychiatry and psychotherapy in the nearby town of Bernburg.
On Saturday, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters that the suspect was clearly Islamophobic.
The vehicle, a black BMW, was pictured smashed up at the scene behind a police cordon. Officials believe the suspect acted alone. Verified bystander footage showed the suspect’s arrest at a tram stop in the middle of the road.
“As things stand, he is a lone perpetrator, so that as far as we know there is no further danger to the city,” Haseloff, said at a news conference.
German public broadcaster MDR previously reported that police suspected there could be explosives in the suspect’s car, but police later confirmed none were found after closer inspection.
Other markets remain open – with heightened security
Tragedy struck at a Christmas market in eastern Germany on Friday, as at least five people and hundreds were injured after a car ploughed into a crowd.
The market in Magdeburg will remain closed, the city’s mayor confirmed – though others around Germany will remain open.
The Frankfurt Christmas market is still going ahead, though the security procedures have been “slightly adjusted”, German media was told.
The city’s mayor said: “I heard the news from Magdeburg with horror. Our thoughts and our sympathy are with the victims and their families, who have suffered so much as a result of this cruel act. An attack like this hits a city to the core.”
AfD chairman lays flowers amid reports suspect was supporter of far-right party
The chairman of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has arrived at the scene and laid flowers in tribute to the victims of last night’s attack.
Tino Chrupalla and his colleagues laid flowers amid reports that the suspected attacker was a supporter of the political party.
Local media reported that he had expressed his sympathy for the party on social media, though a spokesman for the party told the Rheinische Post that he was not a member of the party.
Suspect’s alleged workplace issues statement
The clinic where the suspect is believed to have worked has released a statement following Friday night’s attack.
Posting on Instagram, the Salus-Fachklinikum Bernburg clinic said it was “shocked to learn that the alleged perpetrator worked as a specialist doctor in our enforcement in Bernburg”.
It added that the suspect had been employed there as a psychiatric specialist since March 2020, but he had not been working since October due to illness and holiday.
“We have been supporting the work of the investigative authorities in every possible way since the late hours,” it added.
German Christmas market attack: Everything we know as car attack kills five and injures hundreds
Authorities confirmed that a toddler is among the dead, while local media reported on Saturday that 41 people are very seriously injured.
A 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia was arrested on Friday following the attack:
Here’s everything we know about the attack so far:
Pictured: Street where suspect is believed to have lived near Bernburg
Watch: Police officers swarm to arrest suspect
Eyewitness footage from a nearby building shows police swarming an individual and arresting them, after a car was driven into a busy Christmas market in eastern Germany.
Local reports now put the number of injured to at least 200.
Police have arrested a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, identified by German media as ‘Taleb A’.
World leaders have condemned the attack, with prime minister Keir Starmer saying he was “horrified” by the incident.
Watch the video here:
Police swarm to arrest suspect after Christmas market attack kills five
Eyewitness footage from a nearby building shows police swarming an individual and arresting them, after a car was driven into a busy Christmas market in eastern Germany. At least four have died, including a toddler, following the attack around 7PM on Friday (20 September). Local reports now put the number of injured to at least 200. Police have arrested a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, identified by German media as ‘Taleb A’. World leaders have condemned the attack, with prime minister Keir Starmer saying he was “horrified” by the incident.
Town comes together to pay tribute to victims
As a clearer picture of what happened at Magdeburg’s Christmas market on Friday emerges, members of the community are gathering at the scene to pay their respects.
Locals and politicians have been laying flowers, lighting candles and leaving teddy bears at the nearby church as they mourn the five people who have been killed so far.
Memorial service to be held tonight
A memorial service will be held in Magdeburg on Saturday night to commemorate the victims of Friday night’s attack in the town.
Magdeburg city mayor Simone Borris said: “I am shocked, deeply affected and my heart goes out to the victims and their families.”
She announced a memorial would be held at 7pm loacal time and added: “I could never have imagined that Magdeburg would be affected by such an act.”
Source: independent.co.uk