A car crashed into a crowd of people at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing at least two people, including a toddler, and injuring dozens. Other sources and unconfirmed reports suggest the death toll is much higher.
Government spokesman Matthias Schuppe confirmed the attack hypothesis, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz interrupted his engagements and travelled to the affected city, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, which is located two hours' drive west of Berlin.
The driver of the vehicle, a dark BMW, was arrested. He is believed to be a man of Saudi origin, a “lone wolf” . According to initial reports, he traveled 400 meters mowing down people in the crowd before being stopped. The police arrived on the scene in force immediately, along with numerous ambulances.
"We stand with the German people and the families of the victims of the criminal attack in Magdeburg," wrote Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X. He added: "A wish for a speedy recovery to the injured. No surrender in the face of criminal violence. The Italian government is on the front lines against all types of terror."
(Online Union)