CAR PLOWS INTO CARNIVAL CROWD IN MANNHEIM, GERMANY: ONE DEAD, MANY INJURED

Mannheim, Germany – A car rammed into a crowd at a Carnival market on Planken shopping street in central Mannheim, Western Germany, leaving one person dead and 25 injured, many critically.

The incident occurred during the lively Carnival festivities. According to German broadcaster Bild, the driver, a 40-year-old German man from the Rhineland-Palatinate region, was apprehended at the scene by police. Authorities have not yet determined if the incident was a deliberate attack or an accident, and there are no other suspects at this time.

Investigation Underway

Early reports indicate a black SUV sped into the pedestrian zone of Paradeplatz. The city center has been cordoned off, and residents are advised to avoid the area. Police spokesperson Stefan Wilhelm confirmed a "large-scale operation" is in progress. The national alert service Katwarn had previously issued a "life-threatening situation" warning for Mannheim.

Heightened Terrorism Concerns

This incident comes amid heightened fears of terrorist attacks involving vehicles in Germany. In December, six people were killed in Magdeburg when a vehicle was driven into a crowd. In mid-February, an attacker struck a group of protesters in Munich, killing a child and a young woman.

Mannheim is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where on May 31 of last year, a young man stabbed five people, killing one police officer who intervened. Prosecutors believe that incident may have been an Islamist attack, and the trial began last February.