Hannah Parry

By Hannah Parry

Associate News Editor

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At least five people are dead and another 68 injured after a car plowed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday. The suspected driver is under arrest and identified only as Taleb A, a 50-year-old specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy from Saudi Arabia, according to Der Spiegel. Reiner Haseloff, the regional prime minister of Saxony-Anhalt, said the suspect was arrested at the scene, has been living in Germany since 2006 and was working locally. German police feared that there may have been an explosive in the car that plowed into crowds of shoppers and have cordoned off the area. A local official says early signs indicate a deliberate attack. ABC News said the incident has caused mass panic at the market, which has been closed.

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Dec 20, 2024 at 06:03 PM EST

Witnesses describe ‘blood on the floor’ and ‘ambulances everywhere’

Witnesses who arrived to the scene of the Christmas market attack has described the "chaotic situation."

"We saw blood on the floor, we saw people sitting beside each other and having golden and silver foils around them," Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for German public broadcaster MDR, told the BBC.

"And we saw many doctors trying to keep people warm and help them with their injuries." he added. "Everywhere were ambulances, there were police, there were a lot of firefighters."


Dec 20, 2024 at 05:44 PM EST

German chancellor to travel to Magdeburg Saturday

German chancellor Olaf Scholz will travel to Magdeburg on Saturday after the shocking attack on the Christmas market.

Earlier today, Scholz said his thoughts were with the victims and their families.

"We are at their side and at the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours," Scholz said on X.

View this post on X


Dec 20, 2024 at 05:26 PM EST

Who is reported German Christmas market attack suspect? What we know

A Saudi Arabian national was reportedly arrested on Friday after allegedly driving a car into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing at least two people and injuring over 50 others.

German newspaper Die Welt reported that a rental car was used to injure or kill between 60 and 80 people at the market, while police had not "ruled out" that an explosive device might have also been used in the apparent attack. The suspect was reportedly born in Saudi Arabia in 1974.

"Officials are saying now that the driver is Saudi," CNN's Jake Tapper said during a broadcast on Friday night. "He is a doctor and has been in Germany since 2006."

Read in full from Alia Slisco on Newsweek.


Dec 20, 2024 at 05:12 PM EST

German Interior Minister calls attack ‘deeply shocking’

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called the German market attack "deeply shocking" as she said authorities are working to clarify details.

"The news from #Magdeburg is deeply shocking," Faeser said in a post on X, in German.

"The emergency services are doing everything they can to care for the injured and save lives. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The security authorities will clarify the background."

View this post on X


Dec 20, 2024 at 05:08 PM EST

WATCH: More than 150 emergency service members respond to German Christmas market


Dec 20, 2024 at 05:03 PM EST

Suspect acted alone, PM Haseloff says

The suspect who allegedly deliberately drove his car into crowds at a Christmas market was acting alone, Saxony-Anhalt PM Reiner Haseloff told reporters.

The suspect has been identified as a Saudi Arabian doctor who has lived in the Germany for almost two decades.

He was arrested at the scene.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:53 PM EST

Victims are reported to be a toddler and an adult

The two people killed in the attack are reported to be a toddler and an adult.

At least 68 were injured when a black car plowed into busy crowds at the Christmas market in Germany on Friday.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:47 PM EST

Today’s incident comes eight years after deadly attack on Berlin Christmas market

Rescue workers tow away the lorry from the Berlin attack

...

Today's horror attack comes eight years the deadly Berlin Christmas market attack left 13 dead and dozens more injured.

The attacker, an Islamic extremist, had used a truck to plow into the crowded Christmas market on December 19, 2016.

He was killed four days later during a shootout in Italy.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:46 PM EST

Suspected driver is a doctor from Saudi Arabia, regional prime minister says

The suspected driver is a doctor from Saudi Arabia, Reiner Haseloff, the regional prime minister of Saxony-Anhalt, said today.

The suspect, who was arrested at the scene but has not yet been named, has been living in Germany since 2006 and works in Saxony-Anhalt, Haseloff said.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:32 PM EST

68 people were injured in market attack, 15 seriously, say authorities

A total of 68 people were injured in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack - with 15 of those seriously hurt, according to local authorities.

At least 37 people were moderately injured and another 16 were slightly injured, according to a post on the city's Facebook page.

Around 150 emergency personnel have been sent to the scene.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:27 PM EST

Death toll rises to at least two

At least two people have been killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack, local public broadcaster MDR has reported.

Dozens more were injured in what authorities believe was a targeted attack.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:21 PM EST

Emergency services have blocked off the streets around market

Emergency services, police and firefighters at scene

...

Police, emergency services, and firefighters have responded to the suspected targeted attack at the Madgeburg Christmas market.

The emergency services have closed off the streets around the market as they respond to the dozens of injured shoppers.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:17 PM EST

Cops fear explosive may be in car used in market attack

Police examine scene at Magdeburg market

...

German police fear that there may be an explosive in the car that plowed into crowds of shoppers at the Christmas market, local public broadcaster MDR reports.

Magdeburg police have cordoned off the area and are telling the public to stay back.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:12 PM EST

JD Vance weighs in on German market attack

Vice President-elect JD Vance has responded to the attack on the German Christmas market.

Vance shared an Associated Press report on the attack, which left at least one dead and dozens injured, on X today.

"Who was driving the car?" he asked.

The identity of the driver has not yet been released but police report he has been arrested.

View this post on X


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:08 PM EST

German hospitals preparing for mass casualties

Hospitals across the city of Magdeburg, in Germany, are preparing for a "mass casualty event", Reuters reports.

Local authorities have reported between 60 and 80 people were injured in the attack, with at least one casualty.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:06 PM EST

Authorities investigating incident as suspected targeted attack

Authorities are investigating the incident as a suspected targeted attack, say local officials.

Regional government spokesperson Matthias Schuppe and city spokesperson Michael Reif warned that the driver appears to have targeted shoppers at the Christmas market.


Dec 20, 2024 at 04:04 PM EST

Horror video shows moment car plowed directly into crowd

A horrifying video, circling on social media and verified by CNN, shows the moment that a black car drives directly into a crowd of people at the Magdeburg Christmas market.

Scores of shoppers who were crowded into the stalls when the car plowed into them, sending bodies and debris flying.

Others tried to outrun the vehicle or dive out the way as it crashed into shoppers.


Dec 20, 2024 at 03:54 PM EST

City spokesman describes ‘terrible’ pictures of attack

Magdeburg spokesperson Michael Reif described seeing "terrible" pictures of the "targeted" attack.

"The pictures are terrible," he told reporters in Germany. "My information is that a car drove into the Christmas market visitors, but I can't yet say from what direction and how far."


Dec 20, 2024 at 03:50 PM EST

German Chancellor says incident ‘raises the worst fears’

Scholz

...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said the Christmas market attack "raises the worst fears."

"This is a terrible event, particularly now in the days before Christmas," added Saxony-Anhalt Gov. Reiner Haseloff, who is reportedly on his way to Magdeburg, to the west of Berlin.


Dec 20, 2024 at 03:45 PM EST

Between ’60 and 80 people’ injured in attack

Between sixty and eighty people were injured in the German market attack, according to the AFP news agency.

At least one person was killed when the car plowed into shoppers at the market.

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