Several people were injured, while at least one person was killed after a car went into a crowd of holiday shoppers at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday. It appears to be a targeted attack, according to police.
Magdeburg, some 150 kilometers southwest of Berlin, was shaken by the disturbing incident as emergency responders including ambulances, firefighters, and armed police flocked to the scene. Police have arrested the suspected driver, though it is still unknown if the person acted alone.
The Christmas market, one of the most popular places to go for holiday celebrations, was turned into chaos when the vehicle sped through the crowd. Video footage circulating on social media shows people being hit by the car and running in fear. A reporter on the ground confirmed that at least 20 ambulances were on site, and a police helicopter circled above the market.
The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, expressed his condolence on social media. “My thoughts are with the victims and their families”, he said. It reminds one of the Christmas market attack in Berlin in 2016 when a truck, driven by a terrorist, smashed into a crowded market, killing 12 people.
The situation is still quite tense as authorities investigate the attack, and further details are expected.
