Grauen attack on Magdeburg Christmas market: five dead in shock!

Grauen attack on Magdeburg Christmas market: five dead in shock!

A terrible incident occurred at the Magdeburg Christmas market: a man raced into a crowd on Friday evening by car and injured numerous passers -by while driving through the booth alleys at high speed. Five people lost their lives, over 200 were injured, including 41 seriously and seriously injured, as the city administration announced. The alleged perpetrator, a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia, was arrested and is now in custody for five times murder and attempted bodily harm after the public prosecutor's office issued an arrest warrant, as ZDF reported.

The circumstances of the attack are worrying. The assassin used escape and escape routes to get to the event area, while a police vehicle was not at the intended location, which raises questions about the security measures. Interior Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Tamara Zieschang, said that the perpetrator had been in Germany since 2006 and had an unlimited residence permit. His motive situation remains unclear; According to reports, he has radicalized and expressed anti -Islam, while he also showed signs of mental problems. The exact background, in particular the dissatisfaction with the handling of authorities with Saudi Arabic refugees, is now being examined as part of the investigation, as Deutschlandfunk added.

security questions in focus

The tragedy also triggered a debate about the efficiency of the security authorities in Germany. The director of the Magdeburg police department, Tom-Oliver Langhans, spoke of a "time window of around three minutes", in which the perpetrator could act unhindered. The security concept of the Christmas market is questioned because the escape route was not adequately protected, so that mobile emergency services could have intervened in good time.

The victims of this cruel attack were a nine -year -old boy and four women aged 45, 52, 67 and 75 years. The city commemorates the dead and it remains to be hoped that this tragedy will draw important teachings for future security at public events.

Further information about the attack can be found on Deutschlandfunk and ZDF .