Mon Mar 03 13:59:10 UTC 2025: **Car Rams into Crowd in Mannheim, Germany; One Dead, Several Injured**
MANNHEIM, GERMANY—A car plowed into a crowd in Mannheim’s pedestrianized Paradeplatz square today, killing at least one person and injuring several others. Police have one person in custody but are not yet ruling out further perpetrators.
The incident occurred this afternoon in the city center, a popular area during the ongoing carnival celebrations. A reporter from NTV described the scene as chaotic, with at least one victim covered and children’s shoes scattered among debris. Mannheim University Hospital has activated its mass casualty plan in anticipation of numerous injured individuals.
Police spokesperson Stefan Wilhelm urged the public to avoid the downtown area, with a large police presence currently securing the scene. Authorities issued an alert through the Katwarn emergency app, advising residents to stay away.
The attack comes amid heightened security concerns following recent violent incidents in Germany, including several car-ramming attacks. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who had previously noted high security precautions for carnival festivities, cancelled her scheduled visit to the Cologne Rose Monday parade to travel to Mannheim. The investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding today’s incident is ongoing.
First Piper 