Tragedy in Magdeburg: a suspect has already been arrested
At 7.04pm today, in Magdeburg, a city 150km south-east of Berlin, a black BMW plowed more than 400 meters into a crowd, leaving behind at least two dead, including a child, and at least 60 injured. according to the first official estimates. At least this is what the German press reported at 10.30pm today, Friday 20 December.
Emergency services arrived immediately on site to assist the injured, many of whom were urgently transported to the city's university hospital, where additional beds were set up to deal with the emergency.
At the moment the Italian authorities have ruled out the presence of Italians among the victims.
A suspect in custody and the first investigations
Police arrested a suspect, a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, who had rented the vehicle used in the attack. Although he was not known to the authorities as being affiliated with Islamist groups, investigators have not ruled out any leads. At the site of the attack, the presence of an explosive device in the vehicle was initially hypothesized, but subsequent checks ruled this out.
The authorities blocked the entire area of the market and activated a crisis center to manage the situation. It still remains unclear whether the suspect acted alone or as part of an organized plan.
The painful memory of December 19, 2016
The Magdeburg attack brings to mind the tragic attack on the Berlin Christmas market on 19 December 2016. On that occasion, a truck driven by an Islamist terrorist crashed sulla folla a Breitscheidplatz, causing twelve deaths and over seventy injuries. Among the victims there was also the Italian Fabrizia Di Lorenzo (also a collaborator of Berlin Magazine).
Despite the drama, the Magdeburg community immediately took action to react. Hundreds of citizens came to donate blood, while moments of prayer and fundraisers were organized to support the injured and the families of the victims.
Political reactions and national solidarity
Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the attack “a blow to the heart of Germany”, expressing condolences for the victims and gratitude for the rescue work. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser also underlined the need to strengthen security at Christmas markets.
The city of Erfurt, as a precaution, has decided to close its market. Messages of solidarity arrived from all over the country, while the political debate heated up on the need for new prevention measures. The tragedy united Germany in a time of grief, calling for resilience and national cohesion.
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