A car crashed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least two people, including a child. The city government reported 68 injuries, with 15 individuals in critical condition. Several eyewitnesses have shared their accounts of the incident, with some describing the situation as “terrible” and “reminiscent of a war.”
“It was terrible”
A woman at the Magdeburg Christmas market witnessed her boyfriend being struck by the car involved in the attack. Nadine, 32, recounted the event to Bild newspaper. “He was hit and pulled away from my side. It was terrible,” she said. Her boyfriend suffered leg and head injuries.
“We saw blood on the floor”
Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for the public broadcaster MDR, arrived at the scene shortly after the attack. He described the chaotic scene to the BBC, saying he saw blood and injured people receiving medical attention at the incident site.
“Everywhere were ambulances, there were police, and there were a lot of fire workers.”
He reported seeing blood and injured people wrapped in blankets receiving medical attention.
“This was a really chaotic situation. We saw blood on the floor, we saw people sitting beside each other with golden and silver foils around them. And we saw many doctors trying to keep people warm and help them with their injuries.”
“It’s a big shock”
“It’s a big shock. It’s a big shock for everyone here in Magdeburg and for everyone in Saxony-Anhalt,” Frohmüller said.
“Reminiscent of a war”
Witnesses recounted hearing cries and screams at the scene, while a food stall operator at the market described the aftermath as “reminiscent of a war,” according to a report by The Guardian.
“Terrible event”
“This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days before Christmas,” said Saxony-Anhalt’s leader, Reiner Haseloff, who was en route to Magdeburg, according to The Guardian.
Footage from the scene captured the suspected perpetrator lying on the ground with his head raised beside a heavily damaged black car. A police officer, just a few meters away, was seen pointing a drawn weapon at him as passersby watched in shock.
“As things stand, he is a lone perpetrator, so as far as we know, there is no further danger to the city,” Haseloff said.
Car drives into ‘Fairy Tale’ area
According to an eyewitness who spoke with Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, the car “drove into the ‘Fairy Tale’ area of the Magdeburg Christmas market.” The incident occurred when the area was crowded with families. She and her child were able to leap out of the vehicle’s path as it sped by.
What happened in the car crash?
A car drove into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing at least two people, including a child. The city government reported 68 injuries, with 15 individuals in critical condition.
Local authorities have labeled the incident a terror attack. Eyewitnesses told broadcasters that a black BMW accelerated into the crowd near the town hall, covering a distance of 400 meters.
Unverified videos circulating on social media appear to show a dark car speeding through the crowd.
Emergency responders provided treatment to the injured at the scene.
Who is the suspect?
The driver of the car that crashed into the Christmas market crowd has been identified as Taleb. He was arrested immediately after the incident. Taleb A., a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian medical doctor and consultant in psychiatry and psychotherapy, had been living in Germany since 2006 and received refugee status in 2016, according to The Guardian.
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