A car ploughed into a crowd at a German Christmas market on Friday, killing at least two people, including a small child, and leaving almost 70 wounded in a lone wolf terror attack.
The dark-coloured BMW crashed through barriers protecting the market in Magdeburg and drove straight into shoppers at 7.04pm local time.
Video purportedly taken by a nearby camera showed a car mowing down pedestrians as it sped through a narrow alleyway with stalls on either side.
People could be seen fleeing in panic as some attended to bodies left strewn on the ground.
Police arrested the 50-year-old suspect who is a doctor from Saudi Arabia and has lived in Germany since 2006, the premier of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, said.
The suspect had been practicing medicine in Bernburg, about 23 miles (36 kilometres) south of Magdeburg, according to officials
“As things stand, he is a lone perpetrator, so that as far as we know there is no further danger to the city,” Mr Haseloff said.
“This is a terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “horrified” by the “atrocious attack”.
In a statement, Sir Keir said: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected.
“We stand with the people of Germany.”
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the attack “heinous” and offered solidarity with the German people.
“The Kingdom condemns this heinous act and stands with the victims and their families during this difficult time,” a statement from the ministry read.
Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, said his thoughts were “with the victims and their families.”
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, has called on Mr Sholz to “immediately resign” in the wake of the attack, and called the Chancellor an “incompetent fool”.
Magdeburg city officials said that two people had been killed, an adult and a small child, 68 were wounded, with 15 of those in critical condition.
Read below to see how the event unfolded.
04:11 AM GMT
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02:47 AM GMT
Doctor held over attack feared ‘Islamisation’
Social media posts now under investigation suggest that the suspect held extreme anti-Islam views and had expressed fears about what he perceived as the “Islamisation” of Germany.
He had also shared posts in support of the AfD, the right-wing nationalist party.
Authorities have also confirmed that the suspect was not previously known for Islamist activity.
01:47 AM GMT
Suspect had been granted asylum in Germany
The man police arrested has been identified as a prominent spokesperson for refugees in Germany.
The 50-year-old doctor is a respected figure in the Saudi exile community and had worked closely with asylum-seekers.
He was granted asylum in 2016 as a political refugee and had since been employed as a psychotherapist in the eastern federal state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The man has been a trusted advocate within the refugee community, known for his work helping foreign women adapt to their new life in Germany, according to investigations by WDR and NDR news agencies.
01:08 AM GMT
Saudi Arabia condemns the attack
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has now issued a statement, slamming the “heinous” attack and offering solidarity with the German people.
“The Kingdom condemns this heinous act and stands with the victims and their families during this difficult time,” the statement read.
A 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia is in custody over the deadly Christmas market attack in Magdeburg.
01:04 AM GMT
Attacker ‘acted alone’
Tamara Zieschang, interior minister for Saxony-Anhalt, called Friday “one of the darkest days” for her state.
“As things stand, we have two fatalities to mourn and a large number of injured,” Ms Zieschang said.
She confirmed the suspect was a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who had been granted a permanent residency permit after moving to Germany in 2006.
“According to our current information, he acted alone,” Ms Zieschang said.
“There is no information on other perpetrators. Everything else is the subject of further investigations.”
12:48 AM GMT
New close-up of arrest
This photograph captures the moment police made the arrest.
Officers had drawn their weapons and yelled at the driver to lay on the ground with his hands behind his back.
A police van then pulled up to the scene, and a dozen officers rushed towards the suspect.
German police arrest the terror suspect
11:51 PM GMT
No bombs found
The suspect’s car did not contain explosive devices, police have confirmed.
The area around the car had previously been cordoned off.
Investigators have since checked the car and declared it safe.
11:47 PM GMT
Police consider suspect’s mental state, political views
Police said they were still unsure of the motivation for the attack.
Security experts believe the suspect may suffer from psychological issues, possibly combined with political radicalisation.
However, he is not known to have a prior record of Islamic extremism.
“We do not yet know the background to the crime, we are taking everything into consideration,” a police spokeswoman told MDR Sachsen-Anhalt news service.
11:30 PM GMT
Starmer: UK stands with Germany
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was “horrified” by the “atrocious attack”.
“My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected,” Sir Keir said.
“We stand with the people of Germany.”
10:50 PM GMT
Pictured: Rescuers hug at the scene
Emergency services faced a scene of devastation – AFP
10:25 PM GMT
Pictured: Scene cordoned off
Late into the evening, victims were being treated in tents or on the ground where they had been struck down
A view of the cordoned-off Christmas market in Magdeburg – Heiko Rebsch/Avalon
10:12 PM GMT
Foreign Office ‘closely monitoring situation’
The Foreign Office said it is “closely monitoring the situation” in Germany.
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are in contact with the German authorities following an incident in the city of Magdeburg and are closely monitoring the situation.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected.”
09:55 PM GMT
Latest casualty details released
Magdeburg’s city website currently states there are two fatalities with 68 people injured. Of those, 15 people are reported to be in a “serious” condition, with a further 37 moderately injured and 16 with minor injuries.
09:51 PM GMT
Moment alleged attacker was arrested
Footage reportedly shows German police arresting Magdeburg Christmas market driver after ‘terror attack’ | Credit: Visegrad24/X
09:44 PM GMT
Scholz to visit site
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit the region on Saturday.
“The Chancellor will come here tomorrow and assess the situation with us and will certainly not only mourn with us but also discuss the necessary measures,” said Reiner Haseloff, the regional prime minister.
“And I can imagine that due to the seriousness of this attack, the Federal Prosecutor General will also take action,” he added.
09:42 PM GMT
Macron ‘profoundly shocked’
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said he was “profoundly shocked” by the attack.
Mr Macron added that he “shares the pain of the German people”.
09:34 PM GMT
More pictures from the scene:
Police vans and ambulances stand next to the annual Magdeburg Christmas market in the city centre – Getty Images Europe
Special police forces attend the scene – DPA
09:31 PM GMT
Suspect is Saudi doctor, 50, based in Germany
“We have arrested the perpetrator, it is a man from Saudi Arabia… a doctor who has been in Germany since 2006,” Reiner Haseloff, the state premier of Saxony-Anhalt, told reporters at the scene.
“From what we currently know he was a lone attacker so we don’t think there is any further danger for the city,” he added.
The suspect is reported to live in Bernburg, a town around 25 miles south of Magdeburg. Bild newspaper said he was working at a clinic in the city.
According to the state premier, the perpetrator used a rental car registered to Munich.
09:25 PM GMT
Incident being treated as terror attack
Michael Reif, spokesperson for the city, has confirmed the incident was being treated as a terror attack rather than an accident.
“The pictures are terrible,” Mr Reif said. “My information is that a car drove into the Christmas market visitors, but I can’t yet say from what direction and how far.”
Matthias Schuppe, regional government spokesperson, also confirmed Mr Reif’s assessment.
09:17 PM GMT
Death toll rises to two, including small child
At least two people have now been confirmed dead, including a small child, Reiner Haseloff, Saxony-Anhalt’s prime minister, said.
09:06 PM GMT
How the attack took place:
09:02 PM GMT
Pictured: Armed police and ambulances at the scene
Police and ambulances stand guard outside the scene of the suspected terror attack in Magdeburg – AFP
08:58 PM GMT
Musk: Scholz should resign over attack
Elon Musk has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign in the wake of the Christmas market attack.
“Scholz should resign immediately. Incompetent fool,” he wrote on X.
08:46 PM GMT
One dead, almost 70 injured, 15 seriously
At least one person has been killed, 68 injured and 15 very seriously wounded, according to the latest figures released by Magdeburg city authorities.
08:40 PM GMT
Explosive suspected to be in suspect’s car
Police have cordoned off the city centre because an explosive device is believed to be inside the suspect’s vehicle, German public broadcaster MDR said, citing police reports.
The vehicle is still at the scene.
08:33 PM GMT
Suspect was ‘from Saudi Arabia’
The suspect driving the dark BMW was reportedly a 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia, according to the Die Welt newspaper.
Pictures, shared on social media, appeared to show the arrested suspect with his head on the pavement surrounded by armed police.
08:29 PM GMT
Pictured: Paramedics help the injured
A man is loaded into an ambulance at the scene
08:27 PM GMT
Mapped:
08:26 PM GMT
The car drove 400m into crowd
The car was driven “at least 400 meters across the Christmas market” into the crowd, a police spokesman told German media.
08:24 PM GMT
The aftermath of the attack
Emergency services attend an incident at the Magdeburg Christmas market in Germany | Mick_O_Keeffe/X
08:23 PM GMT
At least 11 dead, says report
At least 11 people have been killed, German outlet Bild reported, without citing its sources.
08:15 PM GMT
Scholz: ‘Something terrible is to come’
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has warned that “something terrible is to come”.
“The reports from Magdeburg suggest something terrible is to come. My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours,” he said in a statement.
08:10 PM GMT
German party leaders react:
Friedrich Merz, CDU leader and candidate for chancellor, has responded to the events, saying: “This is very depressing news from Magdeburg.”
He added on X: “My thoughts are with the victims and their families. I thank all emergency services who are caring for the injured on site.”
Alice Weidel, leader of the hard-Right AfD party, also wrote: “The images from Magdeburg are shocking! My thoughts are with the bereaved and injured. When will this madness end?”
08:06 PM GMT
‘Warlike conditions’
A man, who watched the car speed by as he worked on a burger stand inside the market, told German newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung that the scene had turned into “war-like conditions”.
Another eyewitness said lots of families had been in the “fairy tale area” of the market when the car slammed through the barriers. She said she just managed to jump out of its way with her child.
08:00 PM GMT
Pictured: More ambulances arrive at the scene
Emergency services attend an incident at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany – DPA
07:51 PM GMT
Between 60 to 80 injured, say emergency services
Magdeburg emergency services reported that between 60 to 80 people were injured in the attack.
Several people were “severely” injured”, a spokesman told AFP.
07:48 PM GMT
‘Let the emergency services do their job’
On Instagram, Magedeburg’s Christmas Market warned people to avoid the area.
“Please let the emergency services do their job and leave the market in an orderly manner!,” a statement read.
07:46 PM GMT
‘A terrible event’
“This is a terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas,” Reiner Haseloff, Saxony-Anhalt’s prime minister, said, adding that he was on the way to see the scene himself.
07:44 PM GMT
Neighbouring cities stepping up security
The city of Halle, around 80km from Magdeburg, was preparing its hospitals to take in the injured. It also stepped up security measures at its own Christmas market immediately after the attack.
07:35 PM GMT
Footage from the incident
Videos circulating on social media show people lying on the ground and a massive police presence near the market.
Emergency services rush to the scene after car ploughs into people at Magdeburg Christmas market | Credit: Quellgeist/X
07:34 PM GMT
Several police cars at the scene
At least nine police vehicles could be seen parked around the area with their lights flashing.
A spokesperson for local police said: “We do not yet know exactly what happened.”
07:33 PM GMT
European Christmas markets frequently targeted
Christmas markets in Europe have been frequent targets for terror attacks and both France and Germany have stepped up security in order to protect the public.
In 2016, a truck drove into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 13 people and leaving 17 injured in an attack claimed by the Islamic State.
Already this year, a series of security incidents at Christmas markets have raised concern.
On December 1 in Schöneck, Saxony, the mayor and another individual were shot at with a Softair pistol.
Three days later, a 37-year-old Iraqi national was arrested in Augsburg, Bavaria, for allegedly scouting the Christkindlesmarkt, and sharing Islamic State propaganda.
In November, a 17-year-old German-Turkish national was apprehended in the northern town of Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein, for planning a truck attack inspired by the 2016 Berlin market tragedy.
And authorities in Mannheim and Frankfurt also arrested two German-Lebanese brothers on charges of planning attacks on local Christmas markets.
A Syrian refugee went on a knife rampage in the city of Solingen in August, killing three people and sparking a national debate on immigration.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Germany’s likely next Chancellor, called for a complete overhaul of the asylum system to face what he described as a “national emergency”.
07:23 PM GMT
‘Terrorist attack just before Christmas’
Matthias Schuppe, a government spokesman in the province of Saxony-Anholt, said it was an “attack” in comments to local media. Bild newspaper reported that the incident was a “terrorist attack just before Christmas!”
07:19 PM GMT
The scene in pictures
A car crashed through barriers protecting the market in Magdeburg – DPA
At least nine police vehicles are currently at the scene