By Tablet Staff

German authorities are calling the tragedy of a car plowing through a Christmas market on Friday, Dec. 20, a mass casualty event.

Authorities report that five people are dead and more than 200 were injured in the eastern German town of Magdeburg. Police have arrested the suspected driver and identified him as a Saudi doctor named Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, 50. No specific charges have been filed at this time.

According to officials, 41 people were critically injured, 86 were receiving hospital treatment for serious injuries and another 78 sustained minor injuries.

Video footage of the event captured the harrowing moment a black car sped through the narrow market lane, hitting pedestrians and sending holiday shoppers running for cover. Some dived into market stalls, while others fled in panic. Bodies and debris were left scattered as the vehicle attempted to speed away from the scene.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shared his condolences, saying, “My thoughts are with the victims and their families. We stand by their side and by the people of Magdeburg. My thanks go to the dedicated rescue workers in these anxious hours.” 

Reiner Haseloff, the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, described the attack as a “terrible event, especially now in the days before Christmas.”

This incident recalls the 2016 Berlin attack, in which a truck was driven into a Christmas market, killing 13 and injuring dozens. Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, is located about 100 miles west of Berlin.

The attack has raised concerns about the recurring threat of vehicle-ramming attacks. U.S. law enforcement officials have warned about such tactics, especially during high-profile events like New Year’s Eve. A recent threat assessment highlighted the risk of such attacks in places like New York City’s Times Square.

This is a developing story.