About 52 persons have been left with injuries after a 29-year old man ‘intentionally’ drove into a crowd of people at a parade on Monday in the German town of Volkmarsen
Eighteen of those hurt in Monday’s incident are children. In total 35 people remain in hospital.
Frankfurt’s general prosecutor’s office announced that the victims were aged between two and 85 years old.
A 29-year-old German citizen was arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide in the town of Volkmarsen.
The motive is unclear. Planned carnival events are to be held in Hesse state, where the town is located, on Tuesday.
A statement by Hesse police said there were no “concrete indications” the risk had increased at these processions, although police warn security arrangements could be reviewed.
Police have also arrested a second person for allegedly filming the incident, the statement said.
Authorities cautioned against sharing images of the incident after one picture circulated online claimed to show the driver being arrested, but in fact showed a different person.
The incident took place during celebrations for Rosenmontag, or Rose Monday – a carnival day celebrated in some parts of Germany, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.
A silver Mercedes drove through plastic barricades set up for the parade and into a group of people.
Eyewitnesses told German media that driver had accelerated toward the crowd and appeared to target children.
Police said they believed it was an attack but that there was no indication of a political motive, according to Bild newspaper.
The Frankfurt prosecutor’s office said the suspect was being treated for injuries sustained in the incident, but would later be brought before an investigating judge.
On Tuesday, authorities dismissed reports that the driver was drunk at the time, although it remains unclear whether he was under the influence of drugs.
Source: BBC
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