Mannheim: At least one killed in lone car crash in Germany

At least one person has died, and several others have been injured after a car crashed into pedestrians in Mannheim, a city in southwestern Germany, according to local police on Monday.

The incident happened shortly after midday local time (6 a.m. ET), said Stefan Wilhelm, a spokesperson for Mannheim police. He confirmed that a suspect had been arrested.

Germany’s federal government issued an “extreme danger” warning in the city and announced that a large-scale police operation was in progress.

Mikla Cela, who works at a restaurant in the city center, told CNN that he saw a black car speed past. “He said he later heard several people screaming and saw a man with a white jacket lying on the floor.”

Ferry Overdevest, a flower shop owner in central Mannheim, also described the aftermath. “Around 30 people were seeking shelter in his shop and that ambulances were on the streets outside,” he told CNN. Germany has experienced several deadly car-ramming incidents in recent months.

A vehicle, in December, plowed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six people, including a nine-year-old boy. The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi citizen who had lived in Germany for over a decade, had worked to help Saudis leave his home country. Social media posts indicated that “he was a fervent critic of Islam.”

Another attack occurred in February when a Mini Cooper was driven into a group of demonstrators in Munich, killing a mother and her child and injuring over 30 others. The suspect was identified as a 24-year-old Afghan man.

That incident took place just before the Munich Security Conference and days ahead of the country’s federal election, where concerns about immigration and security contributed to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party securing second place.

Mannheim: At least one killed in lone car crash in Germany

At least one person has died, and several others have been injured after a car crashed into pedestrians in Mannheim, a city in southwestern Germany, according to local police on Monday.

The incident happened shortly after midday local time (6 a.m. ET), said Stefan Wilhelm, a spokesperson for Mannheim police. He confirmed that a suspect had been arrested.

Germany’s federal government issued an “extreme danger” warning in the city and announced that a large-scale police operation was in progress.

Mikla Cela, who works at a restaurant in the city center, told CNN that he saw a black car speed past. “He said he later heard several people screaming and saw a man with a white jacket lying on the floor.”

Ferry Overdevest, a flower shop owner in central Mannheim, also described the aftermath. “Around 30 people were seeking shelter in his shop and that ambulances were on the streets outside,” he told CNN. Germany has experienced several deadly car-ramming incidents in recent months.

A vehicle, in December, plowed into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing six people, including a nine-year-old boy. The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi citizen who had lived in Germany for over a decade, had worked to help Saudis leave his home country. Social media posts indicated that “he was a fervent critic of Islam.”

Another attack occurred in February when a Mini Cooper was driven into a group of demonstrators in Munich, killing a mother and her child and injuring over 30 others. The suspect was identified as a 24-year-old Afghan man.

That incident took place just before the Munich Security Conference and days ahead of the country’s federal election, where concerns about immigration and security contributed to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party securing second place.

(CNN)