An 83-year-old woman and a 54-year-old man were killed when a car sped into a pedestrian zone in Mannheim, western Germany. The incident left five others seriously injured, while another five sustained minor injuries, authorities confirmed.

Police arrested a 40-year-old German suspect, who is believed to suffer from mental illness but has no known ties to extremism. The suspect, a landscape gardener, is currently in stable condition at a hospital after reportedly shooting himself with a blank-loaded gun.

The attack occurred at around 12:15 local time (11:15 GMT), with CCTV footage capturing a black hatchback racing down Planken shopping street. Images from the scene showed the heavily damaged vehicle missing a hubcap on its front left wheel.

Baden-Württemberg's Interior Minister Thomas Strobl described the vehicle as having been used "as a weapon" but noted that there was no connection to the Easter carnival taking place in the city.

Mannheim's chief public prosecutor, Romeo Schluessler, said authorities are investigating two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder.

Mannheim Mayor Christian Specht condemned the act as "abhorrent and inhumane," expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also offered his condolences, calling it a "senseless act of violence."

The attack comes amid heightened security as Easter-related festivities take place across Germany. In response, a city market has been shut down, and a planned street carnival has been canceled, along with events in the suburbs of Feudenheim, Neckarau, and Sandhofen.

Source: BBC

BDST: 0900 HRS, MAR 04, 2025
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