A car drove into a crowd of people in Munich (Germany) on Thursday morning, local police confirmed. At least 30 people were injured, several critically. Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder described the incident as a "suspected attack."
At around 10:30 on Thursday morning, a man was driving behind a police car and a crowd of people gathered for a demonstration connected to a strike called by the Verdi trade union. He suddenly accelerated, overtook the police car and drove into the crowd.
At least 30 people were injured, according to Munich Police. Several of them are in critical condition and some are in danger of dying, a spokesperson for the local fire department told AFP on Thursday. Emergency services immediately arrived on the scene to attend to the injured. Some of the victims are children, Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter told German Newspaper Bild.
Credit: Belga/AFP
The driver was detained on site and is no longer considered a threat to the public, Munich police said on X. During the arrest, the police fired a shot at the vehicle.
Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder told the press at 12:30 on Thursday that it was a "suspected attack." The driver was a 24-year-old Afghan migrant who had a valid residence permit, according to local police. The man was known by the police from preliminary proceedings in which he was called as a witness due to his previous job as a store detective.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, Munich Police said.
'Not the first of its kind'
Söder expressed his condolences on social media early on Thursday afternoon. "It is simply dreadful and so very painful. There has been a serious attack in Munich. We feel with all the victims and pray for the injured and all their relatives," he said. The Minister-President thanked the emergency services for their "quick and decisive intervention."
"This is not the first attack of its kind," he added. "It is important to express our condolences and come to terms with what has happened. But fundamental changes also need to be made in Germany."
Es ist einfach furchtbar und schmerzt so sehr. In #München hat sich ein schwerer Anschlag ereignet. Ein afghanischer Staatsbürger fuhr mit einem Auto in eine Menschenmenge und verletzte viele Menschen teils sehr schwer. Wir fühlen mit allen Opfern und beten für die Verletzten und… pic.twitter.com/G19cnFMwqk
— Markus Söder (@Markus_Soeder) February 13, 2025
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also said he was shocked by the "terrible attack." He added that his thoughts were with the victims and their families and that "the perpetrator must face the full force of the law."
Ein furchtbarer Anschlag in München erschüttert uns. Ein afghanischer Täter ist in eine Demonstration gerast. Es gibt viele Verletzte, einige sehr schwer verletzt. Unsere Gedanken sind bei den Opfern und ihren Angehörigen. Der Täter muss die volle Härte des Rechtsstaats spüren.
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) February 13, 2025
Translation: "We are shocked by a terrible attack in Munich. An Afghan man has driven into a demonstration. There are many injured, some very seriously. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The perpetrator must face the full force of the law."
Nato Secretary General, Mark Rutte, reacted to the incident at a press conference in Brussels. "We stand in solidarity with our ally Germany, and our thoughts are with the victims and their loves ones," he said.
Security conference and elections
The incident comes just a day before the Munich Security Conference. US Vice-President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are among the attendees. Police do not believe the incident is related to the conference.
The "suspected attack" also comes just over a week before the legislative elections of 23 February, in which immigration has emerged as a central political issue.
This article was updated at 10:25 on 14 February with the latest information.
