Mannheim: At least one dies and several injured after car ploughs into crowd in west Germany
At least one person has died after a car was driven into a crowd in the west German city of Mannheim in what appears to be the latest attack to hit Germany.
German police have also confirmed several people have been seriously injured. According to reports, one suspect has been arrested, with police saying it is unclear where there are other suspects.
Large law enforcement presence has been deployed in Mannheim’s Paradeplatz area, where the incident occurred at approximately 12.15pm according to police spokesman Stefan Wilhelm.
Officials issued an emergency alert via the Katwarn app, advising residents to avoid the city centre and stay indoors. Katwarn is typically used to notify the public about major emergencies, including severe weather, militant attacks, or large-scale accidents.
This incident comes just months after a similar attack in February when a car ploughed into a union demonstration in central Munich, injuring at least 30 people, including children. Authorities later confirmed that the attack was intentional and carried out by a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker.
More recently, knife attacks in Mannheim and Solingen in 2023, both involving Afghan and Syrian suspects, further fuelled discussions around migration policies.
Authorities in Mannheim have yet to confirm if the latest incident is an attack or provide details on possible suspects. “We are asking the public to remain cautious and avoid speculation until more information is available,” Wilhelm said.