Magdeburg: Haseloff: At least two dead at Christmas market

At least two people, an adult and a small child, were killed in the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market. This was said by Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff.

In addition, a lot of people were injured – at least 60, several of whom were seriously injured. Further deaths cannot be ruled out. “This is a catastrophe for the city of Magdeburg and for the country and also for Germany in general,” said Haseloff.

As things stand, a lone perpetrator

The arrested suspect is a doctor who lives and works in Bernburg. According to current knowledge, he was a lone perpetrator and was not known to the authorities as an Islamist. “As things stand, he is a single perpetrator, so as things stand, there is no further danger to the city because we were able to arrest him and all investigations are now underway.”

State Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang said the man came from Saudi Arabia, that he came to Germany for the first time in 2006 and that he had a permanent residence permit. According to Haseloff, the perpetrator drove a rental car into the crowd at the Christmas market.

Prime Minister Haseloff also thanked all helpers and emergency services: “And my deepest regret and sympathy to all the relatives and all those affected, who were completely torn out of their lives by the shock, even if they were not personally affected.” Everyone now has to process what happened together.

The CDU politician continued that the care of the injured was being carried out with maximum capacity and resources. “I have to say that everything is really going according to general staff standards. And yet there is still a situation that cannot be conclusively assessed here.”