Car driven into crowd in Neustadt am Rübenberge – several seriously injured
In Neustadt am Rübenberge near Hannover, a car was deliberately driven into a group of people. Four to five people were injured and the suspects remain at large.
Police fire on vehicle – perpetrators escape on foot
In the Lower Saxony town of Neustadt am Rübenberge, a car was deliberately driven into a group of people during the night of Tuesday. According to Kleine Zeitung, four to five people were injured in the incident, several of them seriously. A police spokesperson said there was no danger to life for any of the injured; all were taken to hospital.
Officers who were conducting a traffic stop near the Schützenplatz witnessed the incident shortly before midnight. In an attempt to stop the vehicle, they opened fire on the car – without success. The suspects, whose exact number initially remained unclear, then fled on foot and abandoned the vehicle. An immediate manhunt was initially unsuccessful.
A reporter from Deutsche Presse-Agentur described several vehicles with visible damage at the scene: flat tyres, a smashed rear window and bullet holes. The area was cordoned off widely to secure evidence.
The exact background to the incident initially remained unclear. According to initial findings by investigators, the perpetrators and victims are believed to have known each other. "The suspected perpetrators are likely to have deliberately selected the group of people, not at random," said the police spokesperson. The exact sequence of events and the involvement of those responsible remain the subject of ongoing investigations.
According to the dpa reporter, the operation was a major deployment: police arrived with numerous forces, some of them heavily armed, and a police helicopter was also deployed. Fire and rescue services were also on site. Evidence collection continued through the night.
Source: Kleine Zeitung