Car mows down shoppers at German Christmas market

A dark BMW plowed through the crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday evening, killing at least four people and injuring up to 70, Bild reported, citing police. The driver, identified as a doctor from Saudi Arabia, was arrested at the scene.

Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff confirmed that a small child was among the two fatalities. Initially, Bild reported that its sources indicated up to 11 people could be dead, but later noted that information about the death toll was conflicting.

The suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who came to Germany in 2006 and holds a permanent residence permit, Saxony-Anhalt’s interior minister, Tamara Zieschang, stated at a news conference. The perpetrator drove a rental car, according to Haseloff.

The attack occurred at 7:04pm local time, when the vehicle reportedly sped 400 meters through the festive market near the city’s historic town hall, sending panicked shoppers fleeing in all directions. Witnesses described the car driving directly into the crowd as terrified screams echoed through the street.

Paramedics rushed to the scene, setting up emergency tents to treat the wounded. The first wave of patients — 10 to 20 people — were transported to University Hospital Magdeburg, which prepared additional intensive care beds.

This is a terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas,” said Haseloff, who traveled to Magdeburg to assess the situation. “The pictures are terrible,” added city spokesperson Michael Reif.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his condolences on social media: “The reports from Magdeburg suggest bad things. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the people of Magdeburg.”