A 50-year-old man accused of killing five people, including a nine-year-old boy, by driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, has been remanded in custody.
The incident, which occurred on Friday evening, left more than 200 people injured, prompting a massive emergency response and a city-wide investigation.
The suspect, identified by local media as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi citizen who arrived in Germany in 2006 and previously worked as a doctor, was brought before a judge on Saturday. He faces charges of five counts of murder, multiple counts of attempted murder, and dangerous bodily harm.
Magdeburg Police confirmed the deaths of four women, aged 45, 52, 67, and 75, as well as a nine-year-old boy. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as a black BMW ploughed through the bustling market, forcing people to jump out of its path.
Nadine, a survivor interviewed by German newspaper *Bild*, recounted the terrifying moment she and her boyfriend Marco were struck by the speeding vehicle. “He was hit and pulled away from my side,” she said. “It was terrible.”
Emergency services, including 100 police officers, medics, and firefighters, along with 50 rescue personnel, rushed to the scene. Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for MDR, told BBC Radio 4 that the market was left in disarray, with “blood on the floor” and doctors tending to the injured in freezing conditions.
A memorial service for the victims was held at Magdeburg Cathedral on Saturday evening, attended by grieving families, emergency responders, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Addressing the media during his visit to the market earlier that day, Scholz condemned the attack as a “dreadful tragedy” and vowed to ensure that “all resources” would be devoted to uncovering the motives behind it.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspect acted alone. Prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens revealed that one potential motive might be related to the suspect’s frustration with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany. However, the investigation remains ongoing, and police have appealed to the public to share photos or videos of the incident to aid in their inquiries.
The city of Magdeburg remains in mourning, as authorities and residents grapple with the aftermath of an attack that has cast a shadow over the festive season.
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