Inya Marz, a 20-year-old student from Genk, Limburg, who has been on exchange in Magdeburg since the beginning of October, explains how the emergency services arrive and return in the German city. “Luckily I wasn't at the Christmas market at the time.”
“Fortunately, I was not at the Christmas market at the time of the incident, but on my way to the store, less than a kilometer away,” she says. “When I walked to the store, I noticed that there were a lot of people on the street. There were also many police cars on the way, but I didn't immediately wonder about that until I read a message in a WhatsApp group with a screenshot of the Christmas market. The messages haven't stopped since then. It's terrifying to see how fast that car drives into the crowd. Those images really come in seriously.”
LIVE. “Two fatalities, including a young child” in attack in Magdeburg, more than 50 injured according to mayor
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Even now it is still very busy near the Christmas market. “I keep hearing sirens and I also hear a helicopter flying above us. Belgian friends already asked if I was okay and I also let my parents know that I was unharmed. Tomorrow I will return to Belgium, that was already planned. I have been to that Christmas market a lot myself, because I thought it was great fun. I actually wanted to go there tonight too, because today was the last day I could go, but now I'm very glad I didn't.”
Car drives into crowd at Christmas market in German city of Magdeburg, authorities call it attack
