A car has been driven into a crowd of people in the western German city of Mannheim, killing at least two people and injuring several others, overshadowing carnival celebrations in the region where police have been on alert for security attacks.
The background: The suspect is a 40-year-old German man from the neighbouring state of Rhineland-Palatinate who did not appear to be politically or religiously motivated, authorities said.
Police detained the car's driver and later said he had acted alone, with no broader threat seen for the public.
The key quote: "At this time, we have no indications of an extremist or religious background regarding the specific motivation for the act." — Thomas Strobl, interior minister of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
"The motivation may rather be rooted in the perpetrator's own personal circumstances. However, this is the subject of ongoing investigations."
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What else to know: German police and prosecutors said on Monday at a joint news conference that the driver intentionally rammed his car into people and is being investigated for murder and attempted murder.
They said the driver shot himself in the mouth when he was arrested and had to undergo medical treatment at a hospital.
Security has been a key concern in Germany following a string of violent attacks in recent weeks, including deadly car rammings in Magdeburg in December and in Munich last month as well as a stabbing in Mannheim in May 2024.
Read more: Man arrested after suspected car-ramming attack in Germany injures dozens
