Charges filed after ramming attack in Leipzig: double murder and 85 counts of attempted murder
The public prosecutor's office has filed charges against a 33-year-old man nearly four months after the fatal ramming attack in Leipzig. He is alleged to have killed two people and attempted to kill 85 others.
Public prosecutor's office charges 33-year-old after Leipzig ramming attack
Nearly four months after the fatal ramming attack in Leipzig city centre, the public prosecutor's office has filed charges against a 33-year-old man. According to Google News DE — Crime (de), citing a spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office, the charges are for double murder and attempted murder in 85 cases. In addition, the defendant is accused of dangerous interference with traffic in 91 cases.
The Leipzig Regional Court will now decide on the admission of the charges and a possible trial date. The man's defence lawyer was initially unavailable for comment.
On 4 May 2026, the suspect drove his car several hundred metres through the pedestrian zone of Leipzig city centre, striking several people. A 63-year-old woman and a 77-year-old man died. Six other people aged 21 to 87 were injured, two of them seriously. The driver then stopped the vehicle himself and allowed himself to be arrested without resistance. He was initially placed in a psychiatric clinic.
According to the public prosecutor's office, the preliminary written report of the forensic psychiatric expert found no evidence of diminished criminal responsibility. The prosecution will therefore request the lifting of the hospitalisation order and seek an arrest warrant against the 33-year-old. The public prosecutor's office made no statement regarding the background and motives. However, investigators had previously stated that there were neither political nor religious motives.
According to investigators, the 33-year-old man had been in inpatient treatment at a psychiatric facility a few days before the attack. He had voluntarily stayed there of his own accord and was discharged at the end of April, as confirmed by the Social Ministry in Dresden. He had previously come to the attention of police, including for threats and offences against honour — incidents without physical violence such as insults or degradation.
Leipzig reacted with shock after the attack. Mayor Burkhard Jung expressed his dismay to news agency dpa. A few days later, the city installed several so-called octablocs at the entrances to the city centre to block vehicle access.
The ramming attack triggered a nationwide debate about safety in city centres. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities pointed out that there is a fundamental conflict between safety and openness in cities and that such acts can never be completely prevented despite security concepts.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)