Investigators to Interview Driver Suspected of Ramming Car Into German Crowd, Resulting in 2 Deaths

Authorities in Mannheim, Germany, will be interrogating a driver who allegedly drove a car into a crowd, resulting in the deaths of two people and injuries to 11 others.

Andreas Stenger, head of the State Criminal Police Office, stated that the police are hoping the interview with the suspect will provide insight into the motive behind the attack that took place on Monday.

Mourners, like Sara Stefini, laid flowers in the city center as a tribute to the victims, with Stefini expressing her emotional attachment to the area.

The suspect, a 40-year-old German man from Rhineland-Palatinate, is currently hospitalized after being injured and detained, according to State Interior Minister Thomas Strobl of Baden-Württemberg.

Authorities mentioned that, as of now, there is no evidence of an extremist or religious motivation for the crime, implying that the perpetrator’s actions could stem from personal reasons.

German authorities confirmed that the driver deliberately targeted the crowd with his car and is now under investigation for murder and attempted murder. Five of the 11 wounded individuals are in serious condition.

Upon his arrest, the driver shot himself in the mouth, requiring immediate medical attention at a hospital.

Although there doesn’t seem to be an ideological motive behind the attack, authorities revealed that the suspect has a history of criminal convictions, including assault and drunken driving. Additionally, he was previously fined for a hate speech offense on Facebook in 2018.

Investigators are also exploring the possibility of psychological issues contributing to the suspect’s actions.

Several incidents in Germany have involved cars being used as weapons recently.

A police spokesperson mentioned that the incident occurred on Paradeplatz, a popular pedestrian street, during lunchtime when a carnival market was taking place, attracting more visitors to Mannheim than usual.

Friedrich Merz, the expected next chancellor of Germany, emphasized the importance of preventing such acts of violence, echoing the sentiment expressed by outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who mourned the victims of the tragedy.

In a separate incident last month, a car-ramming attack in Munich led to the deaths of a 2-year-old girl and her mother. The perpetrator, a 24-year-old Afghan man with potential Islamic extremist motives, was arrested.

Similarly, a car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg last year resulted in six fatalities. The suspect, a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, had expressed anti-Muslim views and support for a right-wing, anti-immigrant party.