On Friday evening, a car collided with pedestrians in the southwest German city of Stuttgart, resulting in one fatality and several injuries. The driver involved in the incident has been arrested on the spot, but authorities have stated that there are currently no indications that this was a deliberate attack.
According to a statement released by the Stuttgart police, the accident occurred around 5:50 pm near the Olgaek subway station on Friday evening. A Mercedes luxury SUV suddenly veered off the road at an intersection in downtown Stuttgart and hit a group of pedestrians on the sidewalk. Following the incident, a large number of police officers and firefighters quickly rushed to the scene to respond.
Germany has experienced several deadly vehicle ramming attacks in recent months, including in the eastern city of Magdeburg and the southern city of Munich, leading the country to remain on high alert.
However, authorities posted on social media platform X, stating that based on initial investigations, there are currently “no indications” that this was an intentional act of harm or attack, attributing it to an “unfortunate traffic accident.” Nonetheless, the specific cause of the accident is still under comprehensive investigation.
Police disclosed that the driver involved is a 42-year-old man who was apprehended immediately, with no injuries reported on his part. A police spokesperson mentioned that the man is currently being interrogated.
Authorities reported that the accident resulted in 8 injuries, with 3 individuals sustaining severe injuries. Among the critically injured, a 46-year-old woman passed away later that evening at the hospital.
On Friday night, rescue and investigative efforts were still ongoing intensively at the scene. The area of the incident has been cordoned off, and services at the Olgaek subway station have been temporarily suspended. Authorities urged the public to avoid the accident site to facilitate ongoing rescue and follow-up investigation work.