Speeding Car Plows Into Crowd In Germany’s Mannheim Carnival Celebration, 2 Killed, Several Injured- wna24

Mannheim: A joyous carnival celebration in the western German city of Mannheim turned into a scene of horror on Monday as a car plowed into a crowd of revellers, leaving several people injured and two people dead. The incident occurred as people gathered in cities across the Rhineland region, including Mannheim, to participate in traditional parades marking the carnival season. The local authorities stated that the death toll in the accident is likely to go up. 

The people present at the carnival described the scene as one of utter chaos and panic, with several people seen lying on the ground, struggling to come to terms with the sudden and unexpected turn of events. The victims were reportedly rescued by the emergency responders, who rushed to the scene to provide assistance. The eyewitness accounts suggested that the driver of the car lost control of the vehicle, which then veered into the crowd, causing widespread destruction.

Following the incident, the authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, with police and emergency services working to ascertain the cause of the crash and to provide support to those affected. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many left to wonder how such a tragic event could occur during a time of celebration and joy. The city’s mayor has issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of those affected and assuring the public that everything is being done to support those injured and to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

After the horrific incident during the Mannheim carnival, the police have detained a suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed. According to Stefan Wilhelm, a spokesperson for Mannheim Police, stated that the incident occurred in the city centre, where a carnival market had been set up since Thursday, featuring food stalls and rides. The eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with people running for their lives as the car, a black SUV, sped through the crowd at high speed.

“It is terrible here, nobody knows what happened, you only see injured people and the dead, and you don’t know what to do,” a stall holder stated. 

The police rushed to the scene, blocking bridges near Ludwigshafen, and launched a large-scale operation. Germany’s federal government issued an “extreme danger” warning in the city, urging citizens to exercise caution.

The incident comes just weeks after a similar attack in Munich, where a car drove into a crowd of people, injuring two dozen. An Afghan asylum seeker, Farhad Noori, was arrested in connection with the incident.

In another similar incident, a car drove into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, in December 2024, killing at least two people and injuring nearly 70 others. The suspect, identified as Taleb A., a Saudi doctor, was arrested at the scene.

The Mannheim incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many left to wonder how such a tragic event could occur during a time of celebration and joy.

The police are currently investigating the incident, and the suspect is in custody. The motive behind the attack is still unclear, but the authorities are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Earlier, in a similar incident in Germany’s Magdeburg, at least six people were killed and around 299 people were injured after a car plowed into a crowded Christmas market. The incident occurred on December 20, last year, when a car driven by 50-year-old Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi psychiatrist, veered into the packed market, injuring at least 299 people. The deceased included a 9-year-old child as well.

During the investigation, the German authorities found that the suspect, Abdulmohsen, who has lived in Germany since 2006, was granted asylum in 2016 and ran a website aimed at helping former Muslims flee persecution in their Gulf homelands.

However, his online presence also revealed strongly anti-Islam views and support for far-right conspiracy narratives on the “Islamisation” of Europe. German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser acknowledged that the suspect held “Islamophobic” views, stating that “the perpetrator does not fit into any previous categorisation”.

Abdulmohsen has been ordered into pre-trial detention on counts of murder, attempted murder, and dangerous bodily harm. While police believe he acted alone, the incident has raised concerns about the effectiveness of Germany’s security measures.