Five people, including a child, were killed, and over 200 others injured when a car plowed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, officials reported.
Reiner Haseloff, the premier of Saxony-Anhalt state, stated on Saturday that many of the injured were in critical condition, with German media reporting 41 cases classified as critical.
The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi citizen who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had worked as a doctor, was arrested, Haseloff revealed during a press conference on Friday.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the alleged attacker acted alone. However, Haseloff cautioned that the possibility of additional deaths cannot be ruled out given the severity of the injuries.
The motive behind the suspected attacker remains unclear, and there are no known links to Islamist extremism. However, social media activity and online posts suggest he had expressed criticism of Islam.
Footage from the scene shows emergency vehicles responding as injured individuals lay on the ground. Additional video shows armed police confronting and arresting a man seen lying near a stationary vehicle.
Unverified social media videos appear to show a car driving into the market crowd.
City officials confirmed that approximately 100 police officers, medics, and firefighters, along with 50 rescue service personnel, responded to the incident.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited Magdeburg on Saturday, called the attack a "dreadful tragedy," noting the brutality of an incident that injured and killed many in a place meant to bring joy.
Scholz expressed grave concerns for those critically injured, reportedly dozens, and assured that "all resources" would be allocated to the investigation.
He also announced a memorial service for the victims would be held later on Saturday at Magdeburg Cathedral.
In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Nadine recounted the terrifying moment she and her boyfriend, Marco, were at the Christmas market when the car sped toward them.
"He was hit and pulled away from my side," the 32-year-old said. "It was terrible."
Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for German public broadcaster MDR, described the scene to BBC Radio 4's World Tonight, saying he saw "blood on the floor" and "many doctors trying to keep people warm and help them with their injuries."
The suspect was identified by German media as Taleb A., a psychiatrist residing in Bernburg, about 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee status in 2016.
The suspect managed a website dedicated to assisting former Muslims escaping persecution in the Gulf region. His social media activity suggests he is a vocal critic of Islam and has propagated conspiracy theories alleging a plot for Islamic dominance in Europe.
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