A deadly car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday evening left five people dead and more than 200 injured, with many in critical condition. The attack, which took place at the heart of the city’s popular holiday market, is being treated as a deliberate act, with a 50-year-old suspect arrested and under investigation.
At approximately 7:02 p.m. local time (6:02 p.m. GMT), emergency services received the first call reporting that a car had ploughed into a crowd of shoppers. Initially thought to be an accident, it quickly became apparent that the attack was intentional. The driver used traffic lights to navigate off the road and onto a pedestrian crossing, then entered a market access point designated for emergency vehicles, injuring several people along the way.
Eyewitnesses recounted the chaos as the car sped through the pedestrian walkway, forcing people to jump out of the vehicle’s path or flee in panic. The driver eventually returned to the road but was forced to stop due to traffic. Police, who had been stationed at the market, apprehended the suspect within minutes. Video footage showed armed officers arresting the driver, who was lying next to a black BMW with severe front-end damage.
The attack left a nine-year-old child and four adults dead. Over 200 others were injured, and at least 41 are reported to be in critical condition. Initial reports indicated two fatalities and 68 injuries, but these figures were revised to a much higher toll by Saturday morning. The identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed.
The suspect, named as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen by local media, is a 50-year-old psychiatrist from Saudi Arabia who has lived in Germany since 2006. He is currently being questioned by authorities and is expected to face charges of murder and attempted murder. While the motive remains unclear, German authorities have noted the suspect’s Islamophobic views. He has been an outspoken critic of Islam on social media, where he promoted conspiracy theories about alleged plots by German authorities to “Islamicize” Europe.
The attack has shocked Germany and the wider international community. Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his horror at the events, calling the reports from Magdeburg “the worst fears.” Magdeburg’s public order official, Ronni Krug, confirmed that the Christmas market would remain closed, with local authorities declaring that “Christmas in Magdeburg is over.”
The Saudi government expressed its condolences, condemning the violence and offering solidarity with the victims’ families. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also condemned the attack, offering his thoughts to those affected.
