A car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing five people, including a child, and injuring more than 200, with 41 in critical condition. Reiner Haseloff, Saxony-Anhalt’s premier, stated that many victims are fighting for their lives. The attacker, a 50-year-old Saudi national and former doctor, was arrested at the scene.

Officials said the suspect, identified as Taleb A., acted alone with no apparent links to Islamist extremism. His social media activity reveals criticism of Islam and conspiracy theories about Islamic dominance in Europe. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he gained refugee status in Germany in 2016. Authorities continue investigating his motive.

Emergency services mobilized over 150 responders, including police, medics, and firefighters. Videos from the scene show chaos, with people injured on the ground and police arresting the suspect near a stationary vehicle.

A map of Germany showing the location of Magdeburg and the capital, Berlin

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Magdeburg, condemning the attack as a “dreadful tragedy” and pledging full support for the investigation. A memorial service was held at Magdeburg Cathedral for the victims. Scholz also expressed concerns for the critically injured, emphasizing the brutality of the attack in a place meant for celebration.

Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, visits Magdeburg.

Witnesses described harrowing scenes. Nadine, who attended the market with her boyfriend Marco, recounted how he was struck by the car and pulled away from her. Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for MDR, described seeing “blood on the floor” and medics working urgently to treat the injured.

Magdeburg’s football team expressed solidarity with the victims, while Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig observed a minute’s silence during their match.

This tragedy echoes past Christmas market attacks in Germany. In 2016, a Tunisian asylum-seeker linked to IS drove a truck into a Berlin market, killing 12 and injuring 49. In 2018, a gunman killed five at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. These incidents highlight ongoing security concerns at such events, despite German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser’s recent assurances of vigilance and tighter weapons laws.