Two killed, several injured after car drives into crowd in Germany's Leipzig; mayor says, 'utterly stunned'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Two killed, several injured after car drives into crowd in Germany's Leipzig; mayor says, 'utterly stunned'")
Picture taken on on May 4, 2026 shows the scene where a car ploughed into people on a street leaving at least two dead and several injured, in the city centre in Leipzig, eastern Germany. Photograph: (AFP)
A car rammed into a crowd in Leipzig, killing two and injuring several; the suspect has been arrested as Germany faces rising concerns over vehicle attacks
A car drove into a crowd in the historic center of Leipzig on Monday (May 4), killing at least two people and injuring several others, authorities confirmed. The driver, identified as a 33-year-old German man, was arrested at the scene. Officials said his motive remains unclear. The incident occurred when the vehicle sped from a central square into a busy pedestrian area in the old town, eventually hitting people along Grimmaische Street, a popular shopping and historic district. Michael Kretschmer, the leader of Saxony state, said two people had died, adding that the event ‘shakes me to the core’.
"We will do everything in our power to investigate it quickly and fully," he said. “The rule of law will act with all due rigour.” While authorities have not determined a clear motive, some described the event as an ‘Amokfahrt’, a German term often used for a violent rampage. Armin Schuster, Saxony’s interior minister, said such acts are often associated with psychological instability, but stressed that investigators would determine the facts. Police and emergency services confirmed two fatalities, with at least two people seriously injured and around 20 others sustaining minor injuries.
Authorities said the suspect stopped the car on his own and is believed to have acted alone. He is under investigation for suspected murder and attempted murder. Officials added there is no ongoing threat to the public. Emergency responders, including police, firefighters, medical teams, and helicopters, were deployed across the city, which has a population of about 600,000. Television footage showed a white car with a heavily damaged windshield and hood, surrounded by emergency vehicles, as authorities sealed off the area.
Despite the tragedy, parts of Leipzig started returning to normal shortly afterward, with people seen at nearby outdoor cafes. Germany has faced a series of vehicle-ramming incidents in recent years. In the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack, a truck was driven into a crowd, prompting heightened national security measures.
More recently, a 2024 car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg killed six people and injured hundreds. In 2025, another incident in Munich left a mother and daughter dead and dozens injured after a vehicle struck a march. These attacks have intensified debates around security and immigration, especially following Germany’s large intake of refugees in 2015, and have contributed to the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany party.
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Here's what Leipzig said after the tragedy
Meanwhile, Leipzig Mayor Burkhard Jung said, "We are utterly stunned by what has happened. A man has driven at high speed into the shopping area. We are currently mourning two deaths, three people with serious injuries, and many others who have been injured. It is impossible to find the right words to describe this horrific rampage. Our thoughts are naturally with the victims, their families, and the people who are finding it almost unbearable to cope with this psychologically."
