BMW rams crowd in Germany, injures 5; police search for suspects after possible deliberate targeting

Five people injured

A car struck a crowd in Germany, injuring around five people, police confirmed. Reports described four to five injuries, ranging from minor to severe, with none thought to be life-threatening.

A nearby police patrol was conducting a routine traffic check in Lower Saxony when it intervened. Police said the officers’ response prevented further harm.

Suspects remain at large

Officers fired shots at the vehicle during the incident, a police spokesperson said on Tuesday. Local media reported damage to several cars, including flat tires, broken rear windows and bullet holes.

An unknown number of suspects reportedly ran from the BMW on foot. The vehicle’s occupants have not been apprehended, and forensic analysis is ongoing as authorities investigate the sequence of events and each person’s role.

Early information indicates those involved knew one another. Investigators believe the group may have been targeted, rather than caught up in a random attack.

Earlier crowd attack in Berlin

The report also recalled a previous incident at Berlin’s LGBTQ+ parade, where a car entered Tiergarten park near the march route. One person died and 17 were injured; hundreds of thousands had gathered in the capital for Christopher Street Day, one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

Police identified a suspect in the early hours after that attack. Abdul Ballout, 21, was shot and killed by officers in Spandau, west Berlin, after charging at them with a knife.

A CSD spokesperson cautioned against using the violence for political purposes or casting suspicion on a wider group. The spokesperson said such acts aim to divide society and that Berlin CSD would not allow this.