A deadly car-ramming incident in the historic center of Leipzig, eastern Germany, has left two people dead and multiple others injured, with emerging reports indicating the suspected attacker had recently received psychiatric care before the violence unfolded.
The 33-year-old German national is accused of accelerating his vehicle down a busy main street on Monday, striking pedestrians gathered in the area. Officials confirmed the two fatal victims were a 63-year-old German woman and a 77-year-old German man, while the exact number of injured people has not yet been released by authorities.
Multiple local and national German outlets, including top tabloid Bild and regional public broadcaster MDR, have reported that the suspect had recently been undergoing treatment at a psychiatric facility. Bild further detailed that the suspect had admitted himself voluntarily to the center, but was discharged on Sunday just one day before the attack over aggressive behavior directed at other patients. It remains unclear whether the facility fulfilled its legal obligation to notify local police ahead of releasing an individual that could pose a public danger; German authorities have so far declined to directly confirm reports of the suspect’s mental health history.
The suspect was taken into custody at the scene immediately after the attack, and senior officials have stated they have found no evidence linking the attack to political or ideological extremism or religious motive, a common line of investigation after high-profile vehicle attacks in Europe in recent years.
Germany has faced a string of deadly car-ramming attacks over the past decade, most recently a December 2024 attack on a Magdeburg Christmas market that also left multiple casualties. Previous incidents have also targeted public spaces in Berlin and Munich, keeping issues of public safety and threat assessment top of mind for national and local security officials.
On Tuesday, the day after the attack, the affected street remained cordoned off as law enforcement carried out forensic searches to collect evidence. Members of the local and regional community have already begun gathering to mourn the victims and express solidarity: 32-year-old Heidi Rheinsdorf traveled from a neighboring town to attend a gathering at a university campus church, telling AFP she was devastated by the news. “I was shocked when I heard about the car-ramming. I just don’t understand why the alleged perpetrator did it, I just feel so sorry for the people,” she said, wiping away tears during the gathering.
The investigation into the attack is ongoing as authorities work to confirm the suspect’s background and clarify the circumstances of his release from the psychiatric facility.