At least two people were killed, and more than 60 were injured when a car plowed through a crowded Christmas market in eastern Germany on Friday. The suspected driver, identified as a doctor from Saudi Arabia who lived in Germany, was detained, according to a local official.
The suspect acted alone, and there was no ongoing threat to the public. The official, Reiner Haseloff, premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, did not rule out additional deaths due to the severity of some of the injuries.
The victims include one adult and one child, Haseloff said.
A short video of the incident posted on X and geolocated to the city of Magdeburg in eastern Germany showed a vehicle speeding through a large group of shoppers. Dozens of people are run over as others scramble to safety. The vehicle races straight before making a right turn, away from the view of the camera.
Reuters reported a city spokesperson for Magdeburg called the incident an “attack.” Area hospitals were preparing for a mass casualty event, the spokesperson said.
Emergency personnel next to the Christmas market after a car reportedly plowed into the crowd Friday in Magdeburg, Germany. Craig Stennett / Getty Images
“Extensive police operations are currently taking place at the Magdeburg Christmas market. The Christmas market in the city center is closed,” police said in a post on X. Police also released a hotline for people affected so they can contact their relatives.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned of a difficult time ahead.
“My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Scholz said in a post on X. “We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.”
Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck lamented the incident calling it “terrible news” in a post on X.
In an eerily similar incident, a driver plowed into a Christmas market in 2016 in Berlin, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more.
Police in New York City have increased security at holiday markets as a precaution and in response to the incident in Germany, a senior NYPD official told NBC News on Friday.
Additional resources will be sent to numerous holiday markets and high-profile locations across the city. Threats have been made to some markets overseas, but no specific local threat has been made, the official said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Carlo Angerer
Jonathan Dienst, Colin Sheeley, Marin Scott and Anisha Banerjee contributed.
