Several dead, dozens injured when car plows into German Christmas market: Sources

A car plowed into people at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday, killing several victims and injuring dozens more, according to U.S. law enforcement sources.

A suspect has been arrested in the attack that sent shoppers fleeing in panic, the U.S. sources said.

Extensive police operations are underway at the Magdeburg Christmas market, which is now closed, local police said.

“My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said. “We stand by their side and by the side of the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.”

Magdeburg is about a two-hour drive west of Berlin.

This incident comes nearly eight years to the day after a terror attack at a different German Christmas market. On Dec. 19, 2016, a man drove a truck into a crowd at a market in Berlin, killing 13 and injuring dozens.

The potential for vehicle-ramming attacks is an ongoing concern for U.S. law enforcement officials, especially ahead of New Year’s Eve. A joint threat assessment about New Year’s Eve in New York City’s Times Square noted the use of vehicle-ramming alone or in conjunction with other tactics “has become a recurring tactic employed by threat actors in the West.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.