At least three people were killed Saturday afternoon when a man drove a van into a crowd in Muenster, Germany, outside a popular bar in the city’s Old Town.
According to the Washington Post, the driver killed two people in the crowd and injured 20 others before shooting himself to death inside of the van. Some of the 20 people who were injured were still in life-threatening condition as of Sunday, according to local officials. A number of firecrackers disguised as bombs were also discovered in the van.
While the investigation is still ongoing, local authorities told the Los Angeles Times that there was no indication of any political motive for the attack, and that the driver almost certainly acted alone. The driver had a record of psychological problems and a history of run-ins with the law, including charges of fraud, malicious property damage and hit-and-run, all of which were later dismissed. A search of one of the driver’s four apartments also found an 18-page that indicated suicidal intentions.
The incident had raised terrorism fears over the weekend, as a similar vehicle attack in December 2016 killed at least 12 people at a Christmas market near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin. That incident was declared a terrorist attack by German authorities, with ISIS claiming involvement.
Terrorist groups have also stated similar vehicle attacks throughout Europe, including in London and Barcelona.
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