BERLIN, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- A car plowed through a Christmas market in the central German city of Magdeburg on Friday evening, leaving at least one person dead and over 50 others injured, reported the German news agency dpa, citing the city's mayor.
Emergency services estimated that between 60 and 80 people may have been injured, as reported by AFP. The first group of 10 to 20 injured individuals is currently being treated at Magdeburg University Hospital, dpa added.
The driver of the vehicle has been arrested, dpa reported, adding that the suspect was not previously known to law enforcement as an Islamist. The car, identified as a black BMW by German news service Spiegel, reportedly drove into the crowd at approximately 7:04 p.m. Witnesses described the driver's movements as a "zigzag course across the entire market area," according to the local newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung.
The Christmas market, located near Magdeburg's city hall, was immediately closed following the incident. Emergency services, including ambulances and fire personnel, responded in large numbers to assist the injured.
Authorities have yet to confirm whether the suspect acted alone. The vehicle remains at the scene as police continue their investigation.
Magdeburg, a city of approximately 237,000 residents, is located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, about 150 km west of Berlin.
The incident recalls a tragic attack nearly eight years ago, on Dec. 19, 2016, when an Islamist terrorist drove a lorry into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 and injuring over 70 others. The perpetrator fled to Italy, where he was eventually shot dead by police.
