A tragic incident unfolded in the city center of Mannheim, Germany, as a car drove into a group of pedestrians, leaving at least two people dead and several others injured, according to a police statement reported by Euro News on Monday (local time).
The German news agency DPA reported that one victim died at the scene, while another succumbed to their injuries later, raising the death toll to two. Multiple people were injured in the incident, with reports suggesting the number of injured could be as high as 25.
Eyewitnesses, including a reporter from DPA, described a harrowing scene, with a body covered by a sheet visible after the attack. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested, and police continue to investigate the incident in the Paradenplatz pedestrian area. Authorities confirmed that there was no ongoing threat to the public and stated there was “no evidence of a second perpetrator.”
Earlier in the day, domestic media reported a life-threatening situation via warning apps, prompting heightened concerns. In response to the incident, the Mannheim University Hospital initiated its “disaster response” mode, treating at least three seriously injured individuals, including two adults and one child.
Authorities urged the public to avoid the downtown Mannheim area and seek alternative routes due to a heavy police presence. A police helicopter was seen patrolling overhead, and traffic checks were established on nearby bridges.
The Mannheim police warned against the spread of misinformation, asking the public not to share videos of the attack and to rely only on official sources for updates.
The vehicle involved in the attack was identified as a dark-colored or black compact SUV, which witnesses reported was speeding and deliberately striking pedestrians along the main shopping street.
Mannheim, a city of approximately 300,000 residents located about 80 kilometers south of Frankfurt, has been shaken by this devastating incident. The attack follows other recent vehicle-ramming incidents in Germany, including one in Munich weeks earlier that claimed the lives of a mother and child, and a deadly attack last December in Magdeburg, where six people were killed and over 200 injured at a Christmas market.
Authorities continue their investigation into the motives behind the Mannheim attack and are working to ensure the safety and well-being of the public.
