A van attack in the western German city of Muenster has left at least 3 people dead and many more injured on Saturday. The Associated Press reports that a large police response is ongoing in the city’s historic downtown district, “near the Kiepenkerl pub” and statue, a popular site among residents and tourists. The BBC notes that up to 30 people may have been injured, although other outlets are being more conservative in their tally thus far, with the AP saying around 20 people were injured.
CNN reports that the driver has killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities. Police are currently stating that the van appears to have deliberately driven into a crowd of pedestrians in an intentional attack, but they haven’t yet assigned a terror-based motive. Via CBS News:
It wasn’t immediately clear if the incident was terror related. According to the online edition of the Spiegel magazine, German authorities were “assuming” the incident was an attack, although there was no immediate, official confirmation of a motive, the AFP reports. Police also urged people not to spread “speculation” about the incident.
Since July 2016 — when a truck driver killed over 60 people during a Bastille Day attack in France — incidents such as these have become increasingly common worldwide, including multiple incidents in London, an August 2017 van attack in Barcelona, and a NYC Halloween 2017 attack by a driver in a Home Depot Truck on pedestrians in Tribeca.
(Via CNN, Associated Press, BBC & CBS News)