A 33-year-old German man who is suspected of deliberately driving a car through a central pedestrian area in Leipzig is due to appear before a magistrate as prosecutors move to formalize charges. Two people — a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man — were killed and at least three others were seriously injured when the vehicle ploughed into the crowd.
Authorities say the suspect surrendered without resistance and was detained inside the vehicle shortly after the incident. He was previously known to police but not for relevant offences. Prosecutors are expected to pursue charges including murder and attempted murder, and investigators are examining the suspect’s background and mental state.
Leipzig’s chief public prosecutor, Claudia Laube, said authorities assume the act was a rampage, with no indication of a political or religious motive and no sign of additional perpetrators. Saxony state premier Michael Kretschmer expressed deep shock and sympathy for the victims and their families, saying authorities would work to clarify the incident quickly and that the rule of law would act with full consequence.