A vehicle crashed into a crowd in Mannheim and there is a suspicion of a further attack. The police have blocked the two bridges in the direction of Ludwigshafen. The suspect, according to unconfirmed reports, has been arrested and was allegedly armed. Information on the victims is not yet available.
According to reports, a black SUV drove at high speed from the Paradeplatz towards the Wasserturm, crashing into a group of pedestrians. The Fasnachtsmarkt, a local festival, has been taking place in this part of the city since Thursday. The local newspaper, Mannheimer Morgen, reports that at least one person has died. “It’s terrible here, no one knows what happened, you only see the injured and the dead and you don’t know what to do” a fair vendor is quoted as saying. The intensive care unit of the University Clinic has reportedly activated its disaster response and the city’s inner city is completely cordoned off. The Baden-Württemberg Interior Ministry has advised citizens to avoid the city center through a warning app and it is still unclear whether the planned Fasnachtsveranstaltungen will be canceled.
This is the third such incident in as many months. If it is confirmed that this is a similar attack, like the one in Munich recently, it could be unwelcome news to many people, as seen in a video posted by the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.