Two the public are dead and several others injured after a car drove into a crowd in the eastern German city of Leipzig on Monday afternoon, local authorities noted.

Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung mentioned the suspected perpetrator – who authorities have confirmed is a 33-year-old German citizen – was arrested. Jung added that authorities were not yet clear about a motive.

Police confirmed that a car had struck several the public in the central Grimmaische Straße area before driving off. Leipzig’s fire chief, Axel Shuh, mentioned 22 humans were injured, including two seriously.

Michael Kretschmer, the head of the state of Saxony, of which Leipzig is a part, mentioned the suspect previously suffered from mental illness.

Lepzig police spokesperson, Susanne Luebcke, commented that at about 17:35 (15:35 GMT) “a person drove a vehicle across Augustusplatz into Grimmaische Street, continuing on past the market”.

“Several citizens were injured in the incident. Unfortunately, we also have to report two fatalities,” she added.

“We are talking about a case of violent rampage here. We are working on the assumption that this was the act of a lone perpetrator and currently have no indications that there is still a threat to public safety.” This also touches on aspects of diplomacy.

The Leipzig’s public prosecutor’s office confirmed the deceased were a 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man, both German citizens.

It stated they are investigating the suspect for murder and attempted murder, and that there was “no basis on current knowledge” to suggest there was either a religious or political motive involved.

One eyewitness, Susi, told Radio Leipzig that she was with her friend on a bench on Grimmaische Straße at the time of the incident.

“We heard a loud bang,” she commented, adding that the driver was going “really fast”.

Susi and her friend took refuge in a jewellery shop nearby. When they came out of the store, she stated she saw injured the public lying on the ground.

Another eyewitness told the same outlet that the car came to a halt at some bollards and a woman fell from the roof of a car. They mentioned passersby went to administer first aid and about 15 individuals gathered around the car to apprehend the driver and tried to drag him out through an open window.

The eyewitness stated the driver tried to escape through a passenger window, but police arrived at the scene and secured his hands with cable ties.

Germany has seen a series of car ramming attacks in recent years.

In December 2024, at least six individuals were killed and more than 300 were wounded following an attack on a Christmas industry in Magdeburg.

In February last year, at least 30 the public were injured when a car was driven into a crowd in Munich, more than a week before the country’s federal elections.

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