At least 20 people have been injured in an incident where a car plowed into a crowd in Munich, Germany. The country’s police have arrested the driver of the vehicle. However, the police have not immediately confirmed whether the incident was an act of terrorism.
The incident occurred in the southern German city ahead of a high-level security conference attended by U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the German newspaper Bild, authorities have begun an investigation to determine whether the driver of the Mini Cooper deliberately drove into the crowd or if it was due to a mistake involving the brake and accelerator.
In a post on social media platform X, German police stated that they had arrested the driver. They also confirmed that there is currently no security threat from the driver. However, the police have not commented on whether the incident was an accident.
A spokesperson for the Munich police said that at least 20 people were injured in the incident, with some in serious and critical condition.
The Munich Security Conference is set to begin tomorrow (Friday). U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance, Ukrainian President Zelensky, and other senior officials from various countries are expected to arrive later on Thursday.
Following the incident, a large-scale operation has been launched near Munich’s central train station.
A representative from Germany’s local media outlet BR reported, “A person was seen lying on the road. Later, the police took him away. People in the area were seen crying in shock.”
Local media further reported that the incident took place during a gathering associated with the transport sector workers’ union Verdi in Munich.